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HISTORY 


OP 


SALISBURY, 


VERMONT. 


joHiq-   m:.   t^tgkks. 


WITH    A   ilEMOIE   OF    THE   AUTHOR, 


'•Which  we  have  heard  and  known,  and  our  fathers  have  told  us.  That 
the  generation  to  come  might  know  them,  even  the  children  which 
should  be  born,  who  should  arise  and  declare  them  to  their  children." 

Ps.  Lxxviii.  8,  6. 


MIDDLEBURY,  VT. 

PUBLISHED  BY   A.   II.   COPELAND 

1860. 


Kntcred  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  13C0,  by 

G.    A.    WEEKS, 

In  tho  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


C.  ▲.  ALVORD,  PBIKTBR,  15  VAM>KWATrR  BTRMT,  >F\T  ToFK. 


V3^ 

SI  bWf 


EDITOR'S  PREFACE. 


In  undertaking  to  revise  the  mannscript  history  of 
Salisbury  prepared  by  the  late  John  M.  Weeks,  and 
to  continue  it  from  the  point  at  which  he  left  it  to  the 
present  time,  a  labor  has  been  found  much  greater 
than  was  expected  in  the  beginning.  This  fact  is  the 
only  apology  for  the  delay  in  the  publication  of  the 
book. 

Many  of  the  assertions  and  explanations  of  the 
original  manuscript  were  founded  on  facts  as  they 
existed  in  1850,  so  that  the  work  of  accommodating 
the  language  of  that  time  to  the  circumstances  of  the 
present  has  proved  a  task  of  no  little  moment.  Many 
facts,  some  of  which  might  seem  trivial  at  a  cursory 
glance,  but  on  which  the  truth  of  a  sentence,  or  the 
correctness  of  a  conclusion  entirely  depends,  have 
been  obtained  only  after  much  trouble  and  some  ex- 
pense, while  others,  though  sought  b}^  repeated  letters 
or  personal  visits,  have  not  been  obtained  at  all. 

And  after  all  this  care  the  book  may  contain  inac- 
curacies, though  probably  few,  arising  from  this  ten 


w^nm}^ 


17 


years'  lapse  of  time  ;  for  example,  in  speaking  of  pre- 
miums being  offered  for  the  best  nurseries  of  fruit- 
trees,  the  manuscript  says,  that  "  Other  towns  have 
hitherto  carried  off  the  palm."  That  might  have  been 
the  fact  in  1850  but  not  at  a  period  ten  years  later.  And 
this  change  of  language,  in  accommodation  to  the  pre- 
sent time,  has  given  rise,  in  some  instances,  to  an  appar- 
ent absurdity  and  impossibility ;  for  example,  in  one 
instance,  reference  is  made  to  the  late  Joseph  Smith, 
and  in  another  to  the  late  H.  W.  Everts,  while  in  fact, 
the  death  of  both  of  these  men  was  subsequent  to  that 
of  the  author.  Of  course  these  inconsistences  are  re- 
conciled when  it  is  known  that  the  original  manu- 
script has  been  revised. 

On  giving  the  manuscript  a  more  complete  examina- 
tion, thougli  after  it  was  too  late  to  make  any  material 
alteration,  it  was  discovered  that  some  facts  had  been 
repeated ;  for  example,  some  of  those  relating  to  Judge 
Painter,  Benjamin  Smauloy,  and  perhaps  others,  but  in 
most  instances  they  are  so  connected  and  interwoven 
with  other  matter  that  their  reappearance  is  not  deem- 
ed very  unfortunate.  Some  chapters  may  seem  in- 
consistent in  the  style  of  their  different  parts,  while 
others  have  more  the  appearance  of  a  synopsis  of  facts 
than  anything  else.  This  must  have  its  apology  in 
the  fact,  that  the  editor,  while  endeavoring  to  pre- 
serve the  style  of  the  author,  has,  nevertheless,  at 


times,  unwittingly  been  led  to  adopt  a  form  of  lan- 
guage and  expression  more  naturally  his  own.  In 
some  instances,  the  author  speaks  of  himself  in  the 
third  person,  and  again  uses  the  editorial  form  of  the 
first  person  plural,  and  in  one  case  adopts  the  egotist- 
ical style.  Indifferent  parts  he  uses  language,  at  one 
time  too  old  and  at  another  too  new  to  bear  a  severe 
criticism.  In  speaking  of  trees,  plants,  fishes,  and 
diseases,  he  adopts  the  common  names,  and  sometimes 
uses  language  of  only  local  use,  or  such  as  is  more 
appropriate  to  journalism,  or  to  the  province  of  a  par- 
ticular calling  than  to  a  refined  literature.  The  on- 
slaughts which  the  early  settlers  in  their  revolutionary 
spirit,  made  upon  the  "  King's  English,"  as  seen  from 
extracts  from  the  town  records,  speak  for  themselves, 
and,  considering  their  age,  need  no  apologist. 

All  these  things  detract  from  the  literary  merit  of  the 
book  ;  but  let  every  reader  remember  that  the  author 
undertook  the  gratuitous  labor  of  collecting  and  writ- 
ing the  facts  of  the  following  pages,  not  for  the  pur- 
pose of  contributing  to  science  or  literature,  but  rather 
that  those  who  should  come  after  him  might  "  have 
these  things  always  in  remembrance." 

G.  A.  WEEKS. 
Xew  York,  Jan.,  1860. 


AUTHOR'S    PREFACE. 


This  History  is  respectfully  dedicated  to  the  His- 
torical Society  of  Middlebury,  Yermont,  it  having 
been  prepared  at  its  request;  and  especially  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Salisbury,  Yermont,  and  their  descend- 
ants, with  the  wish  that  they  may  enjoy  all  that 
prosperity  and  happiness  which  results  from  a  culti- 
vated mind,  industrious  habits,  refined  manners,  pure 
morals,  and  religious  principles. 

I  have  endeavored,  in  the  following  pages,  to  give 
a  historical  account  of  the  early  settlement  of  the 
town  of  Salisbury,  though  a  full  and  accurate  ac- 
count cannot  be  expected  at  this  late  day.  Yeryfew 
of  the  early  records,  except  records  of  deeds  and  of 
votes  of  the  town,  are  now  to  be  found  ;  and  most  of 
the  reports  of  settlements  by  the  selectmen  and  audi- 
tors, which  have  taken  place  from  year  to  year,  are 
mislaid  and  lost.  No  journals  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly, or  Governor  and  Council,  and  but  few  of  the 
acts  of  the  Legislature  of  the  state  can  be  found  in 
this  town,  from  the  time  of  its  organization,  in  1788, 


viii  author's  preface. 


to  184:0.  I  have,  however,  by  a  diligent  search  in  the 
State  Library,  and  State  Secretary's  office,  and  among 
the  several  dockets  of  Rutland  and  Addison  county 
courts,  been  able  to  pick  up  most  of  the  legal  history 
of  the  town. 

Its  ecclesiastical  history  is  taken  chiefly  from  the  re- 
cords of  the  church,  and  is  believed  to  be  quite  accu- 
rate ;  but  the  account  of  its  sources  of  wealth,  of  its 
physical  character,  and  its  miscellaneous  history,  are 
written  from  observation,  memory,  and  from  what  our 
fathers  and  mothers  have  been  heard  to  say,  and  from 
the  testimony  of  a  few  whose  names  will  be  men- 
tioned. The  preparation  of  a  history  of  the  town  has 
been  delayed  too  long,  and  some  slight  mistakes  and 
important  omissions  may  be  made,  as  all  the  earliest 
settlers  are  in  their  graves,  or  have  left  the  country, 
thus  taking  away  an  important  source  of  information. 
A  few  of  the  children  of  the  settlers  are  yet  living, 
at  an  advanced  age,  in  town  and  its  vicinity,  who  will 
please  accept  my  grateful  acknowledgements  for  facts 
which  they  have  so  kindly  furnished.  No  person  is 
known  to  be  now  living,  in  this  town  or  elsewhere, 
who  was  among  the  first  settlers,  before  the  American 
Revolution,  and  only  five  are  now  living  who  were 
here  when  I  came  into  town,  in  the  year  1789. 

I  am  indebted  to  Mrs.  Prudence  Walker,  widow  of 
Jesse  Walker,  and  daughter  of  Colonel  Thomas  Saw- 


IX 


yer,  for  much  that  is  valuable  miscellany,  and  to  Mrs. 
Ebenezer  Jenny,  daughter  of  Jeremiah  Parker  ;  also 
to  deacon  John  Morton,  Chauucey  Graves,  Millissent 
Noyes,  Amos  Goodrich,  Elias  Kelsey,  and  others 
whose  names  will  appear  as  the  reader  advances. 

I  have  endeavored  to  give  a  relation  of  facts,  pre- 
cisely as  I  understand  them,  in  plain  and  simple  lan- 
guage, without  prejudice  or  exaggeration,  and  have 
let  no  opportunity  within  my  reach,  escape  me  of  res- 
cuing from  oblivion  those  facts  which  make  up  the 
history  of  our  town — facts  which  must  grow  in  in- 
terest and  importance  as  time  passes  away. 

All  of  which  is  most  humbly  submitted  by 

JOHI^T  M.  WEEKS. 
Salisbury,  Vermont,  1850. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Chapter  I. — Grant  and  organization  of  the  to"v>fn 9 

Chapter  II.— Survey  and  distribution  of  Lots — First  occupation 

and  settlement 20 

Chapter  III. — Progress  of  the  Settlement — Survey  of  the  East  line 
— First  Town  Meeting — First  Eepresentative — First  Grand  List . .  27 

Chapter  IV. — Controversy  with  Leicester 83 

Chapter  V. — Further  distribution  and  allotment  of  Lands 42 

Chapter  VI.-  -List  of  Town  Officers 48 

Chapter  VII. — Allotment  of  School  Districts — Notices  of  Schools. .  55 
Chapter  VIII. — Geographical  description — Soil,  Timber,  Crops  and 

Produce — Sheep — Agricultural  Implements 67 

Chapter  IX. — Fruit,  spontaneous  and  cultivated 84 

Chapter  X. — Gardening  —  Honey   Bees  —  Fishing — The    Chase  — 

Snake  Hunting 100 

Chapter  XI. — Minerals — Water  Courses — Water  Powers 116 

Chapter  XII. — Mechanics — Mechanical  Inventions — Patent  Rights 

— Manufactories 126 

Chapter-  XIII. — Scenery  —  Lake    Dunmore  —  Curiosities  —  Indian 

traces 141 

Chapter  XIV. — Statistics  of  Taxation — Military  Enlistment — Dis- 
eases and  Deaths — Professional  Men — Merchants — Hotel  Keep- 
ers— Crime — Divorces 152 

Chapter  XV. — The    Congregational    Church    and    Society  —  The 

Methodist  Church 173 

Chapter  XVI.— Holland  Weeks— Henry  K.  Schoolcraft— Thomas 
Sawyer — Jonathan  Gibson— Isaac  More — Cyrus  W.  Hodges — 
Ebenezer  Weeks — Samuel  Moore 195 


XI 1  CONTENTS. 

PAM 

Chapter  XVII. — ^Revolutionary  times — Difficulties  of  the  first  set- 
tlers— Amos  Story — Mrs.  Story — Joshua  Graves 216 

Chapteb  XVIII.— Progress  after  the  Peace— Grist-Mili—it'irst  Birth 
— First  Death  —  Burying  Ground  —  Scarcity  of  Food  —  Early 

Boads — Military  Salute — Painter— Everts 239 

Chapter  XIX.— The  Layman's  Church 253 

Chapter  XX. — Gamaliel    Painter — E.   Jones  —  Walter  Sheldon — 

John  Dyer 272 

Chapter  XXI. — Political  Parties — Geographical  Divisions 282 

Chapter  XXII. — Means  of  Living— Furniture — Dress — Social  Cus- 
toms— Personal  Habits — The  first  Dance — David  Sheltus 288 

Chapter  XXIII.— Wild  Animals  — Walk  with  the  Wolves  — En- 
counter with  a  Panther— Amos  and  the  Bear — Fight  with  the 

Indians — Military  Matters 801 

Chapter  XXIV. — Biographical  and  Genealogical 817 

Conclusion 846 

Memoir  of  John  M.  Weeks 852 


HISTORY  OF   SALISBURY 


CHAPTEE  I. 

THE  GRANT  AND  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  TOWN. 

The  inhabitants  of  New  England  have  been  char- 
acterized, from  their  earliest  existence,  as  a  separate 
people,  for  their  inventive  genius  and  industrious 
habits.  They  have  been  equally  remarkable,  perhaps, 
in  availing  themselves  of  every  justifiable  means  by 
which  they  could  promote  their  worldly  interests. 
This  they  sometimes  did  by  speculating  in  lands  lying 
in  new  and  wild  parts  of  the  country,  and  in  culti- 
vating 'the  same. 

During  the  old  French  war,  which  closed  in  1763, 
the  soldiers,  in  passing  and  re-passing  through  this 
country  in  their  Canadian  excursions,  discovered  that 
the  territory  now  called  Vermont  contviined  excellent 
land ;  and  even  before  a  treaty  of  peace  was  signed 
by  the  British  and  French  governments,  which  took 


10  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

place  in  1763,  numerous  applications  were  made  to 
procure  charters  of  townships  within  the  present 
limits  of  Vermont.  Another  thing  wliich  greatly 
accelerated  the  settlement  of  Vermont  about  this 
time,  was  the  fact  that,  in  consequence  of  the  capture 
of  Quebec  by  the  English,  in  1759,  the  Canadas  were 
rescued  from  the  French,  and  the  frontiers  ceased  to 
be  exposed  to  the  depredations  which  had  previously 
been  so  distressing  to  new  settlements ;  for  as  long  as 
the  French  controlled  the  Canadas,  they  took  great 
pains  to  urge  the  Indian^  on  in  their  predatory  ex- 
cursions among  the  new  English  settlers. 

These  circumstances  indicated  to  the  New  England 
people  that  a  favorable  opportunity  was  presented  for 
chartering  new  townships  in  these  regions ;  where- 
upon John  EvartSjEsq.,  of  Salisbury,  Connecticut,  was 
engaged  by  a  number  of  persons  living  in  that  town 
and  in  its  vicinity,  to  go  to  Portsmouth,  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  procure  charters  for  two  townships.  It 
was  intended  at  that  time  to  locate  these  townships 
where  Clarendon  and  Rutland  now  are ;  but  on  arri- 
ving at  Portsmouth,  Mr.  Evarts  found  that  these  two 
towns  had  been  chartered  a  few  days  previous.  He 
also  learned  that  no  towns  in  this  state  had  been 
chartered  north  of  Rutland ;  and  being  somewhat 
acquainted  with  the  country  as  far  north  as  the  Lower 
Falls,  on  Otter  Creek,  (now  Vergennes),  he  concluded 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  11 

to  petition  the  governor  for  three  townships,  instead 
of  two.  He  did  so,  making  such  an  arrangement  of 
the  names  already  in  his  possession,  and  inserting 
others,  as  to  enable  him  to  obtain  the  three  charters. 

He  called  one  of  these  towns  Salisbury,  probably 
in  remembrance  of  the  name  of  the  place  in  which 
he  resided ;  another,  IN^ew  Haven,  in  commemora- 
tion of  the  town  in  which  he  had  agreeably  spent 
several  years  as  a  legislator;  and  the  third.  Middle- 
bury,  on  account  of  its  falling  in  the  middle  or  be- 
tween the  two  others. 

Mr.  Evarts,  knowing  the  importance  of  having 
a  starting  point  w^iich  might  be  known  in  all  future 
time,  commenced  his  survey  at  the  Lower  Falls  (Yer- 
gennes),  where,  subsequently,  a  large  hole  was  drilled 
in  a  rock,  and  an  old  cannon  placed  therein — this 
being  the  north-west  corner.  From  this  point  the 
three  towns  were  laid  out  southerly,  the  east  bank  of 
Otter  Creek  forming  the  west  line  of  each.  Having 
surveyed  the  west  line  of  the  three  towns,  and  fixed 
corners  to  each  on  the  east  bank  of  the  creek ;  plots 
were  made  and  presented  to  governor  Wentworth, 
and  immediately  thereafter  the  charter  of  Salisbury 
was  granted  in  the  following  words,  viz : 


12  HISTORY   OF   8ALI8BDKY. 

PiioviNCE  OF  New  Hampshire. 

GEOKGE  the  third. 

By  the  grace  of  God,  of  Great  Britain, 
[l.  8.]     France,  and  Ireland,  KING,  Defender  of 
the  Faith,  &c. 

To  all  persons  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come, 
Greeting : — Know  ye,  that  We,  of  Our  special  Grace, 
certain  Knowledge,  Mear  Motion,  for  the  due  Encour- 
agement of  setting  a  New  Plantation  within  our  said 
Province,  by  and  with  the  advice  of  our  trusty  and 
well-beloved  Benning  Wp^ntworth,  Esq.,  our  Gover- 
nor and  Commander-in-Chief  of  Our  said  Province 
of  New  Hampshire,  in  New  England,  and  of  our 
Council  in  the  said  Province,  Have,  upon  the  Con- 
ditions and  Eeservations,  hereinafter  made,  given  and 
granted,  and  by  these  presents  for  Us,  Our  Heirs  and 
Successors,  do  give  and  grant  in  equal  shares  unto 
our  loving  Subjects,  Inhabitants  of  Our  said  Province 
of  New  Ilmripshire^  and  Our  other  Governments,  and 
to  their  Heirs  and  Assigns  forever  whose  names  are 
entered  on  this  Grant,  to  be  divided  to  and  amongst 
them  into  sixty-eight  equal  shares,  all  that  tract  or 
parcel  of  Land  situate,  lying  and  being  within  our 
said  Province  of  New  Ilampshirey  containing  by 
Admeasurement,  Twentj^-Five  Thousand  and  Forty 
Acres,   whicli    Tract   is  to   contain  something  more 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY.  13 

than  Six  Miles  square,  and  no  more,  Out  of  which 
an  allowance  is  to  be  made  for  highw^ays  and  unim- 
provable Lands,  by  Kocks,  Ponds,  Mountains  and 
Rivers.  One  Thousand  and  Forty  acres  free,  accord- 
ing to  a  plan  and  survey  thereof,  made  by  our  said 
Governor's  order,  and  returned  into  the  Secretary's 
Office  and  hereunto  annexed,  butted  and  bounded  as 
follows,  viz : 

Beginning  at  the  south-westerly  corner  of  Middle- 
bury,  at  a  Tree  standing  on  the  bank  of  the  Easterly 
side  of  Otter  Creek  and  turning  from  thence  east  by 
Middlebury  to  the  south-east  corner  thereof.  Thence 
turning  off,  and  turning  south  ten  degrees  west,  six 
miles  and  sixty-four  Eods.  From  thence  turning  off 
and  turning  west  to  Otter  Creek  aforesaid.  Thence 
down  the  said  Creek,  as  that  runs,  to  the  bounds  first 

above  mentioned, and  that  the  same  be  and 

hereby  is  Incorporated  into  a  township  by  the  name 
of  Salisbury.  And  the  Inhabitants  that  do  or  here- 
after shall  Inhabit  the  said  Township  are  hereby  to 
be  enfranchised  with  and- entitled  to  all  and  every 
the  privileges  and  Immunities  that  other  towns  within 
Our  Province  by  Law  Exercise  and  Enjoy  :  And 
further,  that  the  said  Town  as  soon  as  there  shall 
be  fifty  families  resident  and  settled  thereon  shall 
have   the    liberty   of  Holding   Two  Fairs,   one   of 

which  shall  be  held  on  the  and  the  other 

1* 


14  HISTORY   OF    8AIJ8BURY. 

on  the annually,  whicli  fairs  are  not  to  continue 

longer  than  the  respective ■ following  the  said 

and  that  as  soon  as  the  said  Town  shall  con- 
sist of  fifty  families  a  Market  may  be  opened  and 
kept,  one  or  more  days  in  each  Week,  as  may  be 
thought  most  advantageous  to  the  inhabitants.  Also, 
that  the  first  meeting  for  the  choice  of  Town  Officers 
agreeable  to  the  laws  of  our  said  Province  shall  be 
held  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  January  next  which  said 
Meeting  shall  be  notified  by  Mr.  John  Evarts,  who  is 
hereby  also  appointed  the  Moderator  of  the  said  first 
Meeting  which  he  is  to  notify  and  govern  agreeable 
to  the  laws  and  Customs  of  our  said  Province  and 
that  the  Annual  Meeting  forever  hereafter,  for  the 
choice  of  such  Officers  for  said  Town,  shall  be  on  the 
second  Tuesday  in  March  Annually. 

TO  HAVE  AND  TO  HOLD  the  said  Tract  of  Laud 
as  above  expressed,  together  with  all  the  Privileges 
and  Appurtenances,  to  them  and  their  respective 
Heirs  and  Assigns,  forever,  upon  the  following  con- 
ditions, viz : 

I.  That  every  Grantee,  his  Heirs  and  Assigns,  shall 
plant  and  cultivate  five  acres  of  Land  within  the  term 
of  five  years,  for  every  fifty  acres  contained  in  liis  or 
their  share  or  proportion  of  Land  in  said  Township,  and 
continue  to  improve  and  settle  the  same  by  additional 
Cultivations  on  penalty  of  the  Forfeiture  of  his  Grant 


HTSTORY    OF    8x\LTSr.imY.  15 

or  share  in  said  Township,  and  of  its  reverting  to  Us 
Our  Heirs  and  Successors,  to  be  by  Us  JRegranted  to 
such  of  our  subjects  as  shall  effectually  settle  and 
Cultivate  the  same. 

11.  That  all  White  and  other  Pine  Trees  within 
the  said  Township  fit  for  Masting  Our  Royal  ISTavy, 
be  carefully  preserved  for  that  Use,  and  none  to  be 
cut  or  felled,  without  Our  Special  License  for  so  doing, 
first  had  and  obtained  upon  the  penalty  of  the  forfeit- 
ure of  the  Right  of  such  Grantee,  his  Heirs  and 
Assigns  to  Us,  Our  Heirs  and  Successors,  as  well  as 
being  subject  to  the  penalty  of  any  act  or  Acts  of 
Parliament  that  now  are  or  shall  be  hereafter  enacted. 

HI.  That  before  any  Division  of  the  land  be  made 
to  and  among  the  Grantees,  a  Tract  of  Land  as  near 
the  Center  of  the  said  Township  as  the  Land  will 
admit  of,  shall  be  reserved  and  marked  out  for  Town 
Lots,  one  of  which  shall  be  allotted  to  each  Grantee, 
of  the  contents  of  one  Acre. 

lY.  Yielding  and  paying  therefor  to  Us  Our  Heirs 
and  Successors  for  the  space  of  ten  years,  to  be  com- 
puted from  the  date  hereof,  the  rent  of  one  Ear  of 
Lid  i  an  Corn  only,  on  the  Twenty -fifth  day  of  Decem- 
ber annually,  if  Lawfully  demanded,  the  first  payment 
to  be  made  on  the  Twenty-fifth  day  of  December 
1761. 

Y.  Every  proprietor  Settler  or  Inhabitant  shall 
yield  and  pay  unto  Us,  Our   Heirs  or  Successors, 


16  HISTORY    OF    SALTSBURr. 

yearly  and  every  year  forever,  from  and  after  the 
expiration  of  ten  years  from  the  abovesaid  Twenty- 
fifth  day  of  December,  namely,  on  the  Twenty-fifth 
day  of  December,  which  will  be  in  the  year  of  Onr 
Lord  1771,  One- Shilling  Proclamation  Money,  for 
every  hundred  Acres  he  owns  settles  or  possesses,  and 
60  in  proportion  for  a  greater  or  less  Tract  of  said 
Land,  which  Money  shall  be  paid  by  the  respective 
persons  abovesaid,  their  Heirs  or  Assigns  in  our  Coun- 
cil Chamber  in  Portsmouth,  or  to  such  Officer  or  Offi- 
cers as  shall  be  appointed  to  receive  the  same,  and 
this  to  be  in  Lieu  of  all  other  Rents  and  services 
whatsoever. 

In  testimony  wheVeof  we  have  caused  the  Seal  of 
our  said  Province  to  be  hereunto  affixed.     Witness, 

PENNING  WENTWORTII,  Esq., 
Our  Governor  and  Commander-in-Chief  of  Our  said 
Province,  This  3d  day  of  November  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  CHRIST,  One  Thousand  Seven  Hundred 
Sixty-one,  And  in  the  Second  Year  of  Our  Reign. 

B.  Went  WORTH. 
By  his  EXCELLENCY'S  Command  1 
with  Advice  of  Council.  J- 

TuEODORE  Atkinson,  Sect'y      J 
Province  of  Newhampshire, 
November  3d,  1701, 
Recorded  in  the  Book  of  Charters,  page  301  and  302. 
THEODoiiE  Atkinson,  Sect.'y. 


HISTORY    OK    SALISBURY. 


The  following  are  the  names  of  the  original  grantees, 
as  found  recorded  on  the  back  of  the  charter : 


John  Evarts, 
Josiah  Heath, 
Timo.  Brownson, 
Benj.  Benedict, 
Seth  Kent, 
Stephen  Hawley, 
Capt.  Wm.  Eno, 
Phineas  Bradley, 
Azariah  Rood, 
Elijah  Owen, 
Sam'l  Keep, 
Capt.  Josiah  Stodurd, 
Capt.  Josiah  Deane, 
Lieut.  Nath'l  Buel,   . 
Abiel  Camp, 
Elias  Reed, 
Isaac  Pratt, 
Jo  seph  Waterho  u  s  e , 
Jesse  Bostwick, 
Jonas  March, 
Nath'l  Dyah, 
Jenna  Meigs,  jr., 
Gilbert  Evarts, 
Jacob  Spafford, 
John  Buck, 
Elias  Reed,  jr., 
Samuel  Turn(;r, 


Sam'l  Moore,  jr., 
Nath'l  Winslow, 
Benj.  Smally, 
Sylvanus  Evarts, 
Isaac  Saris, 
Jonathan  Kelsey, 
John  Moore, 
Daniel  Morris, 
Capt.  Moses  Lyman, 
Zach's  Hanchet, 
Jacob  Schermerhorn, 
Abra'm  Turner, 
John  Newbury, 
Solomon  Ensign, 
Samuel  Benton, 
David  Benton, 
Joshua  Jewell, 
James  Mangin, 
Asa  Landon, 
Phillip  Chatfield, 
Isaac  Benton, 
Joseph  Newman,  jr., 
Daniel  Warner, 
Samuel  Abbit, 
Abner  Woodwortli, 
Joel  Evarts, 
Alex.  Gaston, 


18  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

Thos.  Chipman,  William  Fitch, 

Thuel  Chittenden,  John  Benton,  jr., 

Luther  Evarts,  Theodore  Brownson. 
Daniel  Evarts, 

The  charter  has  also  this  endorsemenf : 

His  Excellency,  Benniiig  Wentworth,  Esq.  A 
Tract  of  Land  to  contain  Five  Hundred  Acres, 
marked  B.  W.  on  the  Plan,  which  is  to  be  accounted 
two  of  the  witliin  shares. 

One  whole  share  for  the  incorporated  Society,  for 
the  propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  parts. 

One  share  for  a  Glebe  for  the  Church  of  England, 
as  by  law  established.  One  share  for  the  first  settled 
Minister  of  the  Gospel,  and  One  share  for  the  benefit 
of  Schools  in  said  Town. 

Province  of  New  Hampshire,  Nov.  3d,  1761. 

Eecorded  in  the  Book  of  Charters,  page  303. 
Theodore  Atkinson,  Sec'y. 
Surveyor  General's  ofiice,  Sept.  4th,  1782. 

Recorded  in  the  first  Book  of  New  Hampshire 
Charters,  pages  79,  80  and  81. 

T.  Allen,  Surveyor  Qqu'I. 

Agreeable  to  the  provisions  and  requirements  of 
the  foregoing  charter,  the  proprietors  of  the  town 
held  a  meeting  at  Salisbury,  in  Connecticut,  on  the 
first  Tuesday  in  January,  1762,  and  elected — 


IIISTOKY    OF    SALISBURY.  19 

JosiAH  Stodard,  Projprietor'^s  Clerk. 
Elias  Reed,        1 
Alex'r  Gaston,  |^  Select  men. 
Nath'l  Buel,      j 

John  Evarts,  Treasurer. 
S.  Moore,  Jr.,  Collector. 

They  also  voted  to  raise  a  tax  of  nine  shillings  on 
each  proprietor,  to  defray  all  expenses  up  to  that 
time  ;  and  adjourned  to  the  second  Tuesday  of  March 
following,  at  the  dwelling  house  of  John  Evarts. 

At  a  subsequent  meeting  holden  on  the  30th  day 
of  March,  1762,  the  proprietors  voted  that  JNTathaniel 
Buel  be  a  committee  for  lotting  out  the  town  into 
first  and  second  divisions,  and  that  a  tax  of  nine  shil- 
lings be  laid  on  each  proprietor,  to  defray  the  expense 
of  doing  it. 


20  IlISTOliY    OF    SALT-BUiiV. 


CHAPTER  II. 

8UKV):Y    and   DISTKIBUTION    of   lots. FIJiST   OCCUPATION 

AND    SETTLEMENT. 

Mk.  Buel  entered  immediately  upon  the  duties  vi" 
liis  oflSce,  and  soon  thereafter  returned,  to  tlie  pro- 
prietor's clerk,  a  plan  and  survey,  determining  the 
north  and  south  lines,  together  with. a  survey  of  what 
was  called  the  home  lots. 

It  appears  that  Mr.  Buel  employed  Samuel  Moore 
to  do  this  surveying,  and  his  name  alone  appears  on 
the  plan  which  was  placed  on  file  in  the  town  clerk's 
office. 

Mr.  Moore  seems  to  have  commenced  his  survey  at 
the  south-west  corner  of  Middlebury,  on  the  bank  of 
Otter  creek,  and,  from  that  point,  to  have  run  east  to 
the  foot  of  the  mountain,  and,  probably,  no  further 
at  that  time,  but  commenced  laying  off  lots  southerly, 
and  on  a  line  running  south  ten  degrees  west,  six 
miles  and  sixty -four  rods.  As  the  lots  were  headed 
on  this  line  near  the  base  of  the  mountain,  they  were 
laid  fifty-two  rods  wide,  running  west  three  hundred 
and  twc^nty  rods.     Every  sixth  lot  was  laid  fifty-six 


1II8T0KY    OF   SALISBUBY.  'Zl 

rods  wide,  allowance  being  made  for  roads.  But  as 
the  surveyor  approached  Lake  Dunmore  in  his  work, 
he  found  that  some  of  his  lots  were  shortened  by  the 
water  of  that  lake,  and  to  make  up  this  deficiency  in 
these  lots,  he  made  them  of  greater  width.  Lots  ISTo. 
13,  14,  15,  and  16,  are  of  this  class.  In  this  manner, 
thirty-seven  lots  were  laid  in  the  first  tier,  and  all 
numbered.  The  lots  of  the  second  tier  were  headed 
on  the  foot  of  those  of  the  first,  as  seen  in  the  follow- 
ing plan. 

It  will  be  seen  from  this  plan,  that  thirty-four  of  the 
home  lots  fell  in  the  town  of  Leicester,  on  settlement 
of  the  controversy  which  arose  between  that  town  and 
Salisbury,  concerning  lands  covered  by  the  charters  of 
both  towns — some  account  of  which  will  be  given  in 
a  subsequent  chapter. 

EXPLANATOET. 

A.  William  Arnold,  M.  J.  Gipson  and  S.  Thomas. 

B    School  Lot.  O.  Horace  Thomaa. 

D.  Daniel  Shays.  P.  Wm.  Wainwright. 

E.  Minister's  Lot.  Q.  John  J.  Kelsej. 

F.  Asahel  Martin.  R.  Loyal  Kelsey. 

G.  Dennis  Smead,  S.  Elias  Kelsey. 
:H.  Saw-Mill.  T.  John  W.  Kelsey. 
I.  Solomon  Thomas,  jr.  U.  Foster  Lot 

J  J  J  .1 J  J-  Village.  *  Burial  Places. 

K  K.  E.  Cloyes  and  Nathan  A.  Gibbe.  §  Town  Plot 

L.  Isaac  Shays  and  L.  Bump.  t  Sawyer's  Mills. 

This  table  of  explanatory  names  was  made  in  the  year  1850. 
2 


HISTOKY    OF   SALISBURY, 


Middlebnry  south  line  «is  established  in  1 

786. 

B  W 

Old  town  line  as  surveyed  in  1762. 

160  rd. 

If? 
it 

•  Is 
^^ 

n 

c  5 

2  o 

|3 

"' c 
&~ 

TT 

*     A     1 

i 

ce 

T 

2 

8 

K  f»T 

Q  66 

V  65 

64 

t)3 

1^4 

5 
6 

7 
8 

62 

0  61 

6(t 

N  59 

9 

10 

D         11 

K      12 

Al. 

§ 
L* 
kck« 

be 
.157 
.1  .')6 
j56 

M 

F         18 

15 

li  10 

1  17 

J          19 

jt*    20 
21 

Comp'miso  line  1796, 

Leicester  north  line. 

— 

58 

22 

62 

23 

51              24 

50             25 

49,             26 

4SI             V7 

47;            28 

46 1            -^9 

45  i            30 

44  j            31 

48|            3V 

42 

88 

41 

34 

40 

85 

89 

83 

86 
87 

tittlisbury  souili  line  from  1762  to  1796. 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  23 

Nothing  can  be  found  recorded  on  the  grantees'  or 
other  records  in  town,  from  the  year  1774  to  1785,  so 
that  we  are  left  in  the  dark,  as  far  as  our  own  records 
show,  concerning  transfers  of  lands  during  this  period 
of  eleven  years. 

It  is  found,  however,  that  many  deeds  of  land  and 
surveys  are  recorded  on  the  dockets  of  Rutland  county 
court.  It  is  probable  that  during  the  struggle  of  the 
American  Revolution,  the  town  of  Salisbury  went  to 
Rutland  with  all  papers  intended  for  record,  and  had 
them  recorded  there.  On  examining  the  books  of  the 
Rutland  county  court,  a  long  list  of  deeds  is  found, 
made  in  1779 ;  also  deeds  and  surveys  made  in  1783 
and  1784:.  Many  records  of  deeds  of  lands  are  also 
found  under  Leicester  title,  wTiich  fell  into  Salisbury 
by  the  compromise  between  the  two  towns,  which 
occurred  in  1796  ;  also  Salisbury  deeds  are  found  on 
record,  as  of  lands  lying  in  Leicester ;  so  that  to  fol- 
low out  a  regular  chain  of  title  of  these  lands,  em- 
braced within  what  we  may  call  the  lap  of  the  two 
charters,  is  attended  with  the  greatest  difficulty. 

The  confusion  in  regard  to  the  title  of  a  part  of  the 
lands  in  both  Salisbury  and  Leicester,  originated  in 
the  fact  that  there  was  not  land  enough  between 
Neshobe  (now  Brandon),  and  Middlebury  for  two  full 
townships.  On  account  of  this,  the  charters  of  Salis- 
bury and  Leicester  lapped  upon  each  other  so  far,  that 


24:  IIISTolIY    OF    SALISBURY. 

if  Leicester  held  her  full  charter  bounds,  Salisbury 
would  hold  a  strip  of  land  only  about  one  mile  wide 
oti'thc  north  side,  next  to  Middlebury.  On  the  other 
hand,,  if  Salisbury  was  allowed  to  hold  lands  to  the 
full  extent  of  her  charter,  Leicester  would  retain  only 
^bout  one-sixth  of  her  granted  lands,  and  that  in  a 
strip  about  a  mile  wide,  on  the  south  side,  adjoining 
Neshobe  or  Brandon.  Leicester,  by  her  charter,  is 
bounded  on  the  north  line  of  Brandon  ;  Salisbury,  by 
her  charter,  on  the  south  line  of  Middlebury. 

One  of  the  last  votes  of  the  proprietors  found  on 
record,  previous  to  the  revolution,  was  taken  at  a  pro- 
prietors' meeting,  held  at  Salisbury,  Connecticut,  De- 
cember 19th,  1774,  to  wit :  "Voted,  Josepli  Waterous, 
Samuel  Moore,  jr.,  A!nos  Storej^,  be  a  committee 
to  run  the  line  of  the  town  and  ascertain  its  true 
boundaries."  Another  vote  w^as  taken  at  this  meet- 
ing, which  allowed  any  of  the  grantees  w^ho  w^ould 
become  settlers  within  one  year  from  that  time,  to 
])itcli  two  liundred  acres  in  addition  to  their  sliaiv-. 

The  grantees  had,  ]>nvi(>i!s  to  this,  offered  a  liui- 
dred  acres  of  land  to  ;niy  uiio  who  w^ould  piteli  and 
settle  in  this  town,  bur  witliout  ^u('f(\^s.  oxcejtt  in  mw 
or  two  instances. 

Joslnia  (i raves,  who  will  be  more  particularly  no- 
ticed liereattir.  ])it(]i("d  a  hundred  acres  in  the  spring 
of  JTTl.  ■.:    1   Aii'r.-  Stoi'v  cnnie  into  town  in  S-i.'cMn- 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  26 

ber  of  the  same  year  and  pitched  another  hundred 
acres,  under  this  proprietor's  offer. 

Amos  Story  was  killed  by  the  fall  of  a  tree,  prdba- 
bly  in  October  j)revious  to  his  appointment  as  com- 
mittee to  survey  the  town,  his  death  not  being  known 
in  Connecticut,  where  most  of  the  grantees  lived  at 
that  time. 

It  is  probable  that  the  vote  taken  December  19, 
1774,  allowing  proprietors  who  would  become  actual 
settlers  within  a  year,  to  pitch  two  hundred  additional 
acres,  was  repeated  after  the  war ;  for  it  was  certain 

Note. — As  already  stated,  no  records  of  this  town  between 
the  years  1774  and  1785,  except  what  appears  on  the  Rutland 
records,  can  be  found ;  and  the  proprietors'  records  are  so 
mutilated,  and  so  many  pages  lost,  that  it  has  not  been  possi- 
ble, after  the  most  diligent  search,  to  ascertain  at  what  time 
the  original  proprietors  first  held  their  meetings,  or  who  were 
their  first  officers.  As  the  meetings  of  the  grantees  were  in- 
variably held  in  Salisbury,  Connecticut,  before  the  revolution- 
ary war,  and  as  the  name  of  the  state  of  Connecticut  appears 
but  once;  and  that  of  Vermont  not  at  all,  on  the  proprietors' 
records,  we  can  only  form  conjectures  from  the  place  of  resi- 
dence of  the  proprietors  at  the  time  the  records  were  made, 
and  this  is  uncertain  at  least  for  one  year.  Samuel  Moore  re- 
corded deeds  in  1785,  and  Eleazer  Claghorn  early  in  the 
year  1786.  Moore  lived  in  Connecticut ;  and  Claghorn  was 
in  this  town  as  early  as  1784,  but  the  exact  time  he  was  ap- 
pointed proprietors'  clerk  is  not  known. 
2* 


26  lUSTORY   OF    SALI8BDKT. 

that  some  persons  did  make  an  additional  pitcli  of 
lands.  For  instance,  Amos  Story's  widow  was  al- 
lowed to  pitcli  a  hundred  acres  in  addition  to  the 
hundred  which  her  husband  had  pitched  previous  to 
his  death.  E.  Claghorn,  Elias  Kelsej^,  Gilbert  Everts, 
and  others,  it  is  believed,  pitched  their  lands  under 
this  vote  in  favor  of  permanent  settlers. 

Settlers  came  into  town  very  rapidly  in  1785,  in 
which  year  appears  the  first  vote,  of  any  importance, 
after  the  war.  The  object  of  the  vote  was  the  appoint- 
ment of  Gamaliel  Painter,  Abo  Wateroiis,  and  Elias 
Kelsey,  to  lay  out  roads.  These  men  were  already 
])ernianent  settlers  in  town. 

In  this  and  a  few  subsequent  years  it  was  found 
that  the  rapid  immigration,  into  this  and  neighboring 
towns,  was  making  heavy  drafts  upon  the  provisions 
of  the  coiinti-v  ;  so  much  so,  that  quite  a  scarcity  of 
provisions  w;is  experienced  in  the  winter  and  spring 
of  1787.  . 


]iT6)()liY    OF    SALISBUKY.  27 


CHAPTER  III. 

rROGEESS     OF   THE    SETIXEMENT. SURVEY    OF   THE    EAST 

LINE. FIRST     TOWN    MEETING. FIRST    REPRESENTA- 
TIVE.  FIRST   GRAND   LIST. 

The  settlement  of  the  town  advanced  very  rapidly 
in  1785, 1786,  and  1787.  In  1786,  probably,  (though 
no  record  has  been  found  by  the  writer  to  show  the 
time,)  a  re-survey  was  made  of  E^ew  Haven  and  Mid- 
dlebury,  when  it  was  found  that  the  proprietors  of 
these  towns  had  embraced  more  land  in  their  original 
surveys  than  was  contemplated  in  their  charters  ;  so 
that,  [after  the  new  survey,  I^ew  Haven  was  con- 
tracted one  tier  of  lots  or  more,  which  tier  was  al- 
lowed to  fall  within  the  limits  of  Middlebury,  and 
Middlebury  in  turn  gave  a  part  of  her  domain  to 
Salisbury,  and  the  south  line  of  Middlebury  was  run 
and  established  two  hundred  and  fifteen  rods  further 
north  than  it  was  originally  surveyed.*     Thus  Mid- 

*  When  this  line  was  moved  the  governor's  lot  in  Salisbury 
was  surveyed,  the  north  line  of  which  was  predicated  on  Oie 
nf'v/  south  line  of  Middlehnrv.     This  was  in  1787. 


2IO  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

dlebury  gave  up  considerable  valuable  land  to  Salis- 
bury, together  with  some  valuable  citizens,  who  may 
be  numbered  among  the  early  settlers  of  Middlebury. 
In  this  number  were  Benjamin  Smalley,  who  owned 
the  farm  where  F.  ISTash  now  lives,  and  afterward  the 
one  now  owned  by  Paul  Pratt ;  and  Gamaliel 
Painter,  who  lived  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Wm. 
F.  Goodrich. 

By  the  new^  survey,  Mr.  Painter's  house  and  the 
principal  part  of  his  farm  fell  within  the  limits 
of  Salisbury,  which  rendered  him  eligible  to  office 
in  this  town,  and  accordingly  he  was  chosen  dele- 
gate to  the  General  Assembly,  and  represented  this 
town  in  that  body,  at  their  session  in  Bennington, 
in  1787. 

Mr.  Painter  moved  his  family  to  Middlebury,  in 
the  fall  of  1787,  and  represented  that  town  in  the 
state  legislature  the  following  year. 

There  is  no  record  of  the  time  when  the  east  line 
of  this  town  was  surveyed,  except  w^hat  appears  from 
marks  made  by  a  surveyor's  marking  iron,  on  a  tree 
standing  in  this  line  about  midway  between  its  ex- 
tremities. The  tree  bears  the  date  of  1787.  It  should 
be  remarked,  however,  that  the  part  of  the  figure 
seven  which  distinguished  it  from  the  figure  oncy  had 
become  so  worn  in  the  lapse  of  time  that  it  appeared 
nearly  ready  to  fall  off,  as  early  as  1844.     This  mark 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  29 

will  soon,  if  it  does  not  already  indicate  the  date  of 
1781,  which  is  six  years  too  early. 

The  inhabitants  of  Salisbury  organized  the  town, 
at  the  dwelling-house  of  Solomon  Everts,  on  the  17th 
of  .March,  1788,  by  choosing  the  proper  officers  and 
doing  other  legal  acts,  which  constituted  their  first 
meeting. 

The  following  grand  list  was  taken  in  the  year 
1788,  and  was  the  first  list  taken  in  town. 

The  first  column  contains  the  names  of  the  settlers 
liable  to  pay  taxes. 

The  second,  the  names  of  those  who  now  occupy 
their  places. 

GRAND  LIST  OF  SALISBURY  FOR  THE  YEAR  1788. 


L. 

8. 

D. 

L.      8. 

Tax, 

D. 

Gilbert  Everts, 

46 

9 

00 

10 

00 

Oscar  P.  Sheldon. 

Elias  Kclsey, 

28 

9 

00 

10 

00 

Loyal  J.  Kelsey. 

Eleazer  Claghorn, 

29 

]3 

00 

13     8 

00 

John  M.  Dyer. 

Francis  Strong, 

6 

00 

13 

00 

Harry  F.  Daniels. 

Abe  Water.ous, 

.  5 

3 

00 

18 

00 

Munroy  M.  Doud. 

Gam'l  Painter, 

10 

00 

00 

Wm.  F.  Goodrich. 

Joseph  Dolph, 

1 

00 

00 

16 

00 

West  of  S.  S.  Crooks, 

Solomon  Everts, 

4 

11 

00 

8 

00 

North  of  Zerah  Scott's. 

Holland  Weeks, 

24 

8 

00 

Mark  Prindle. 

Bazediel  Richardson, 

2 

00 

00 

5 

00 

West  of  Mark  Ranney's. 

Abram  Hard, 

3 

4 

00 

12 

00 

Alanson  Wainwright. 

Darius  Matthews, 

3 

4 

00 

12 

00 

Boarded  out. 

Eber  Everts, 

2 

T) 

00 

10 

00 

Alonzo  Boardman. 

Alfred  Smauley, 

5 

00 

00 

Andrew  Wainvrrii^^ht. 

30 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 


L. 

8. 

D. 

t.     8. 

Tax. 

D. 

Barnabas  L.  Chipman, 

2 

14 

00 

Sam'l  S.  Crook. 

Josiah  Farnham, 

2 

5 

00 

Augustus  Graves. 

Joel  Newton, 

2 

00 

00 

12 

00 

Munroy  M.  Doud. 

Asa  Graves, 

2 

10 

00 

10 

00 

Columbus  Smith. 

Jesse  Graves, 

8 

00 

00 

5 

00 

Columbus  Smith. 

Justus  Suthcrlin, 

4: 

15 

00 

10 

00 

Sam'l  Holt. 

James  Bradley, 

6 

2 

00 

12 

00 

Wallace  Crook. 

James  Baker, 

Wm.  Pierce. 

James  Sutherlin, 

4 

15 

00 

9 

00 

Sam'l  Holt, 

Joseph  Graves, 

2 

10 

00 

Kufus  Storey, 

Asa  Iluntly, 

Harry  Bump. 

Griffith  Plaice, 

5 

00 

00 

10 

00 

Kufus  Storey. 

Jehial  Smith, 

9 

13 

00 

14 

00 

Deacon  Kelscy  place. 

Asa  Lawrence, 

3 

10 

00 

10 

00 

Wallace  W.  Doud. 

Bela  Farnham, 

Wm.  Pierce. 

Aaron  Adams, 

12 

00 

12 

00 

East  of  Zerah  Scott' R. 

Ami  Chipman, 

2 

8 

00 

Mark  Ranney. 

Stephen  Hard, 

1 

16 

00 

8 

00 

Zerah  Scott. 

Isaiah  Golden, 

10 

00 

00 

Near  Mrs.  John  Dyer. 

John  Hodgson, 

2 

10 

00 

Ceylon  Gipson. 

Samuel  Pierce, 

2 

00 

00 

14 

00 

Koyal  D.  Hedden. 

Elijah  Skeel, 

2 

7 

00 

10 

00 

Cyrus  Bump. 

James  Waterous, 

9 

10 

00 

Nath'l  Spencer. 

William  Cobb, 

1 

10 

00 

Francis  L.  Dyer. 

Ephraim  Storey, 

1 

13 

00 

17 

00 

Norman  Storey. 

Curtis  Smith, 

5 

00 

00 

Stone  Schoolhouse. 

Chancey  Graves, 

2 

00 

00 

12 

00 

North  of  Wm.  Thomas, 

Diah  Waterous, 

4 

11 

00 

10 

00 

Francis  L.  Dyer. 

Samuel  Moore,  jr.. 

2 

IG 

00 

Mrs.  Nor'n  Boardman. 

John  Ensign, 

10 

00 

00 

• 

tl                               c( 

Henry  Kelar, 

8 

13 

00 

Mrs.  Holland  W.Evertd. 

Obediah  Wheeler, 

10 

00 

t 

Sam'l  Abbott, 

10 

00 

t 

Pavid  Seymour, 

5 

00 

t 

HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 


31 


Tax. 


Nathaniel  Gurnsey, 

10 

00 

+ 

Thomas  Chipman, 

2 

5 

t 

Benj.  Smauluy, 

5 

00 

00 

Paul  Pratt. 

James  Adams, 

2 

10 

+ 

10 

00 

Solomon  Storey, 

9 

00 

9 

00 

Wm.  Thomas. 

William  Pratt, 

4 

11 

00 

11 

00 

Mrs.  Jolm  Dyer. 

Josliua  Graves, 

L. 

s. 

D. 

Columbus  Smith. 

Total  of  Taxes, 

15 

15 

00 

GRAND  LIST  OF  PERSONS  LIVING  ON  LANDS  CLAIMED  BY 
LEICESTER. 


Tax. 


Mcrifield, 

17 

10 

00 

10 

* 

Samuel  Morin. 

Henry  Chamberlin, 

8 

00 

00 

7 

00 

Mrs.  Ester  Gibson. 

Calvin  Chamberlain, 

16 

10 

00 

Dan  Daniels. 

Hinds  Chamberlain, 

6 

00 

00 

Dan  Daniels. 

Jolm  Fyfe, 

16 

10 

00 

3 

00 

Albert  Barker. 

Jeremiah  Parker, 

19 

00 

00 

* 

Ebenezer  Jonne. 

Abel  Johnson, 

15 

10 

00 

Horace  Thomas. 

John  Barker, 

29 

00 

00 

* 

Miles  Story. 

Benjamin  Garfield, 

23 

00 

00 

* 

Leonard  Jenne. 

Wra.  Kendall, 

17 

10 

00 

10 

00 

Lothrop  Bump. 

Luther  Bailey, 

8 

00 

00 

F.  L.  Dyer. 

Job  Brittain, 

8 

00 

00 

Orson  Taylor. 

Sam'l  Adams, 

10 

16 

00 

10 

* 

Amos  Merifield. 

Eli  Brown, 

11 

00 

00 

* 

John  Mack, 

Jos.  Merifield, 

6 

00 

00 

4f 

Winchester  Esty. 

Thos.  Stephens, 

7 

10 

00 

10 

00 

Henry  Moosman. 

Widow  Holdman, 

2 

00 

00 

Isaac  Shays. 

Solomon  Warner, 

8 

00 

00 

Noah  Lovet. 

t  Supposed  to  be  non-residents. 


32 


HISTOKY    OF    8ALTSBUEY. 


Tax. 


John  Holdman , 

10 

00 

00 

Isaac  Shays. 

Daniel  Warner, 

8 

00 

00 

Noah  Lovet. 

Jesse  Bigelow, 

6 

00 

00 

Frank  Atwood, 

Solomon  Bigelow, 

14 

00 

00 

Frank  Atwood. 

Moses  Knapp, 

20 

12 

00 

14 

Daniel  Shays. 

Solomon  Story,  2d, 

11 

19 

00 

19 

Koyal  Graves. 

Penuel  Stephens, 

8 

00 

00 

Norman  Story. 

Total  of  Taxes. 

L.        8. 

4      3 

D. 

00 

It  appears  that  the  selectmen  exercised  a  loide  dis- 
(yretion  in  making  out  taxes,  without  much  regard  for 
rules,  either  legal  or  mathematical. 


*  Lands  which  fell  to  Leicester  by  compromise  of  1796. 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 


CHAFTEE  lY. 

CONTROVERSY    WITH    LEICESTER. 

The  attention  of  the  people  at  the  first  town  meet- 
ing, otherwise  than  choosing  town  officers,  was  chiefly 
directed  to  the  adjustment  of  the  controversy  between 
this  town  and  Leicester.* 

On  the  19th  of  May,  1788,  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  meet  a  committee  from  Leicester,  who 
were  in  attendance,  to  settle  upon  some  method  by 
which  the  line  between  Salisbury  and  Leicester  could 
be  determined. 

This  committee,  on  the  part  of  Salisbury,  was  com- 
posed of  five  men — Elias  Kelsey,  Gamaliel  Painter, 
Captain  James  Waterous,  Gilbert  Everts,  and  Eleazer 


*  Proprietors  meetings  were  also  regularly  held  every  year 
and  generally  on  the  same  day  with  the  town  meeting,  after 
the  latter  was  adjourned,  till  1797,  when  their  meetings  were 
merged  in  the  town  meetings. 
3 


34  lilSTOKY    OF   SALISBURY. 

Claghorn,  who,  on  tlie  same  day  with  their  appoint- 
ment, after  having  had  a  conference  with  the  Leices- 
ter committee,  made  the  following  report : 

"  We  have  agreed  to  petition  the  surveyor  general 
of  this  state,  to  run  the  lines  of  several  towns,  from 
w^here  Leicester  takes  its  first  rise  agreeable  to  char- 
ter, in  order  to  find  the  true  boundary  of  said  town, 
that  the  contest  betwixt  Salisbury  and  Leicester  may 
be  settled ;  and  further  agree  that  the  whole  expense 
be  paid  by  both  towns  in  proportion  to  the  quantity 
of  land  that  remains  to  each  town  after  running  said 
lines." 

The  foregoing  report  was  accepted  by  this  town 
and  recorded  in  Book  I,  page  3. 

At  a  subsequent  town  meeting,  held  September  2, 
1788,  it  was  "  voted,  that  Eleazer  Claghorn,  Asa 
Lawrence,  and  Stephen  Ilai'd,  be  a  committee  to 
meet  a  committee  from  Leicester,  to  settle  all  the 
cost  that  has  accrued  by  preparing  to  run,  and  for 
running,  the  lines  of  several  towns,  to  find  where 
Leicester  lieth  according  to  charter,  in  order  to  see 
what  belongeth  to  Salisbury  to  pay,  and  make  up 
their  account,  and  lay  before  the  select  men  of  said 
town,  and  also  prepare  a  petition  to  the  Honorable 
General  Assembly  of  this  state,  in  behalf  of  tlie 
town,  that  the  Assembly  will  grant,  on  the  land  in 
the  town  of  Salisbury,  for  defraying  the  expenses  of 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.      •  35 

ascertaining  the  boiindarj'  line  between  Salisbury  and 
Leicester."* 

It  would  seem,  from  the  foregoing,  that  both 
towns  were  fast  approaching  a  final  settlement  of  all 
their  difficulties,  but  the  dockets  of  Addison  county 
court  show  that  this  happy  consummation  was  not  so 
easily  obtained,  as  do  all  subsequent  votes  in  this 
matter,  as  seen  on  the  records. 

Many  law  suits  were  commenced,  and  some  of  our 
honest  and  peaceable  citizens,  who  had  been  so  un- 
fortunate as  to  locate  on  lands  claimed  by  both 
towns,  found  themselves  occupying  conspicuous 
places,  in  scenes  of  litigation,  before  our  courts.  It 
was  not  uncommon  for  those  claiming  land  under 
title  other  than  that  of  the  occupant,  in  a  single 
night  to  reap,  and  carry  away  from  him  who  raised 
it,  the  wheat  of  several  acres.  These  scenes  of  liti- 
gation and  quarrel  lasted  about  twelve  years,  as  ap- 
pears from  various  accounts  and  records.  In  1788, 
Eleazer  Claghorn  obtained  judgment  in  Addison 
county  court  for  the  sum  of  three  pounds  and  ten 


*  The  towns  resurveyed  at  this  time,  undoubtedly,  were 
Pittsford  and  Brandon,  for  Middlebury  and  New  Haven  had 
been  resurveyed  previous  to  this ;  and  it  is  certain  that  the 
north  line  of  Brandon  was  moved,  not  far  from  this  time,  to 
the  south. 


36  •      mS'lOHY    OF    SALISBURY. 

shilliiigs,  damages,  and  fifteen  pounds  nine  shillin<rs 
and  one  penny,  costs,  against  Thomas  Stephens,  Epli- 
raim  Stephens,  Joseph  Nickols,  Samuel  Kendall, 
and  Isaac  Scott,  for  reaping  and  carrying  away  in  the 
night  about  three  acres  of  his  wheat.  It  also  appears, 
from  the  docket  of  the  county  court,  that  Stephen 
01  in  and  Penuel  Stephens  were  complained  of,  for 
riotous  conduct  toward  Eleazor  Claghorn,  James 
Waterous,  and  others,  and  were  fined  by  the  court 
twenty-five  sliillings,  and  thirteen  pounds  two  shil- 
lings, cost. 

One  chiet  hindrance  in  getting  the  proprietors  and 
landowners  of  the  two  towns  into  a  train  of  settle- 
ment, was  the  difiiculty  of  ascertaining  which  of  the 
two  charters  was  granted  first.  Leicester  charter 
bore  marks  of  priority,  as  it  was  dated  October  20, 
1761,  and  Salisbury  charter  was  not  dated  until 
Nov.  3,  of  the  same  year.  Now  Salisbury  people 
had  reason  to  believe  Leicester  charter  had  been 
clandestinely  altered,  and  dated  back,  as  its  soutli 
line,  which  was  made  its  starting  point  by  its  char- 
ter, was  predicated  on  Neshobe,  (now  Brandon),  and 
that  town  was  not  chart i  rod  until  November  3. 
Moreover,  other  evidence,  as  ap}K'iirod  fron)  tho  char- 
ter itsi'lf,  carried  tho  convicti(^n,  as  the  writer  was  in- 
formed by  the  counsel  for  Salisbury  in  the  case,  that 
its  date  h:id  been   altered.     r>iit  a«!  a  full  arc^unient 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  S7 

here  may  fail  to  interest  the  reader,  we  will  state  a 
few  concise  facts  concerning  the  matter,  and  let  the 
subject  die  away,  and  rest  with  its  cotemporaries  in 
silence. 

We  find  on  record,  January  26,  1Y91,  the  following 
agreement: 

"  Agreed  with  Esq.  Claghorn  to  submit  all  matters 
between  Salisbury  and  Leicester,  both  respecting 
right  of  soil  and  jurisdiction,  to  Nathaniel  Mies, 
Samuel  Salford,  Timothy  Brownson,  Doctor  Arnold, 
and  John  Fassit ;  provided  the  towns  will  agree  that 
the  judgment  of  said  men  shall  be  confirmed  by  the 
General  Assembly  to  be  a  final  settlement  of  all  dis- 
putes aforesaid." 

The  above  agreement  must  have  been  made  at 
Bennington  where  the'  General  Assembly  convened 
that  year,  as  John  Smith  signed  the  agreement,  and 
was  representative  from  Leicester,  and  Claghorn  from 
Salisbury.  This  appears  obvious  from  the  fact  that 
at  a  subsequent  town  meeting,  held  March,  T,  1Y91, 
it  was  "  voted  we  will  submit  all  matters  according 
to  the  above  agreement  made  by  John  Smith  and 
Eleazer  Claghorn,  Esqs.,  at  Bennington,  January 
last." 

Whereupon,  "  Eleazer  Claghorn,  Stephen  Hard, 
and  Holland  Weeks,  were  appointed  a  committee  to 
treat  with  the  town  of  Leicester,  to  see  if  they  would 

3* 


3S  nrsToiiT  of  sall-buhy. 

agree  to  the  above  proposal."  This  meeting  was  ad- 
journed to  a  future  day,  to  hear  the  report  of  tlieir 
committee,  but  no  record  can  be  found  of  this  last 
meeting,  nor  of  the  committee's  report.  I^everthe- 
less,  it  is  believed,  the  General  Assembly  did  some- 
thing in  the  case;  and  it  is  quite  probable  that  the 
men  agreed  upon  by  Smith  and  Claghorn  heard  the 
ease,  and  that  the  General  Assembly  confirmed  their 
report.  This  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  the  town 
at  their  meeting,  March  13,  1Y92,  voted  a  tax  to  de- 
fray the  expenses  of  the  town,  and  also  "  voted  that 
the  inhabitants  living  south  of  the  south  line  that 
was  set  off  from  Salisbury  to  the  inhabitants  of  Lei- 
cester, at  the  last  session  of  the  General  Assembly  of 
this  state,  be  exempt  from  the  above  tax." 

Now  a  dividing  line,  w^ithout  doubt,  w^as  fixed  be- 
tween these  two  towns  at  that  time;  but  wdiere  it  was 
laid,  cannot  be  ascertained  from  any  of  the  oldest  in- 
liabitants,  nor  is  there  any  record  showing  its  loca- 
tion. It  seems  that  the  line  thus  established  did 
serve  as  a  jurisdiction  line  for  two  or  three  years. 
A»  late  as  1794,  the  line  referred  to  was  recognized 
by  »  vote  of  the  town,  "  to  remunerate  E.  Claghorn 
one  pound  six  shillings,  paid  for  depositions  used  be- 
fore the  General  Assembly  at  the  time  the  jurisdic- 
tion line  was  settled  betwixt  Salisbury  and  Leicester, 
and  also  eight  shillings,  for  money  paid  EnocJi  Wood- 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBUKY.  39 

bridge  as  counsel  in  the  case  before  the  Legislature." 
But  this  jurisdiction  line  was  soon  broken  up ; 
for  what  reason,  it  is  now  impossible  to  tell ;  neither 
the  town  nor  state  records  throw  any  light  upon  the 
matter.  The  conflict  between  the  two  towns  revived 
with  new  energy  before  the  close  of  the  year  1795. 
On  the  Tth  of  December  of  that  year,  it  was  "  voted 
to  raise  a  tax  of  two  pence  on  the  pound  on  the  list 
of  the  polls  and  rateable  estate,  for  the  year  1795,  to 
be  collected  by  the  first  day  of  March  next,  for  the 
purpose   of    defending   against    Leicester  in   a   suit 

brought  against  Caleb  Church  by Garfield." 

Again,  at  the  town  meeting  held  March  1,  1796,  we 
find  another  vote  touching  this  matter,  which  was : 
"Tliat  E.  Claghorn,  Holland  Weeks,  Stephen  Hard, 
Salathiel  Bump,  and  Elias  Kelsey,  be  a  committee  to 
meet  a  committee  from  Leicester,  to  see  if  they  can 
settle  the  difficulty  between  the  two  towns,  and  make 
report  at  an  adjourned  meeting."  And,  finally,  April 
14,  1796,  it  was  "voted  that  the  town  of  Salisbury 
will  make  the  south  line  of  lot  Ko.  20  the  jurisdiction 
line  between  the  towns  of  Salisbury  and  Leicester, 
and  on  the  19th  of  April  of  the  same  year  the  com- 
mittee made  the  following  report : 

"April  18,  1796.  The  committee  from  Salisbury 
and  Leicester  met  at  the  house  of  John  Doming,  and 
agreed  on  a  final  settlement  of   the  difficulties  be- 


40  IIISTOET    OF    SALISBURY. 

tween  the  towns  of  Salisbury  and  Leicester;  that 
a  line  for  jurisdiction  shall.be  run  between  said 
towns,  viz. :  beginning  at  the  south-west  corner  of  lot 
Ko.  20,  being  the  first  hundred  acre  division  laid  to 
the  proprietors  of  said  Salisbury.  From  thence 
westerly  until  it  strikes  thirty  rods  south  of  John 
Fyfe's,  now  dwelling-house,  and  from  thence  to  con- 
tinue the  same  course  until  it  strikes  the  east  bank  of 
Otter  creek,  and  then  to  run  easterly  from  the  first- 
mentioned  bounds  on  the  south  line  of  said  lot  No. 
20,  until  it  strikes  the  west  line  of  Captain  White's 
farm ;  then  north  on  said  farm  until  an  east  line  will 
strike  thirty  rods  north  of  said  White's  house ;  then 
east  until  it  comes  parallel  with  the  south-cast  corner 
of  said  lot  1^0.  20  ;  then  south  to  said  corner ;  then 
east  parallel  with  the  lino  of  said  lot  to  the  east  line 
of  said  Salisbury ;  and  the  tow^ns,  and  proprietors  of 
the  towns  of  Salisbury,  and  Leicester,  considered  in 
them  corporated,  shall  not  bring  nor  encourage  any 
suit  to  be  brought  over  said  line  against  each  other." 

Signed, 
Eleazer  Claohorn, 


Salathiel  Bump, 
Stephen  Hard, 
Holland  Weeks, 
Eli  AS  Kelsky, 
John  Smith, 
1>KNJ.  Garfield, 
JosKPU  Woodwaui\ 


>■  Committee  froin  Salisbury. 
Committee  from  Leicester. 


HISTORY    OF    SA.LT8BURY.  .     41 

The  foregoing  report  and  agreement  was  accepted 
by  the  town,  and  ordered  to  be  recorded,  and  the  vote 
ta  raise  money  to  defend  against  Leicester,  in  the  case 
of  Garfield  against  Church,  was  rescinded. 

Here  this  controversy,  which  had  been  the  cause  of 
80  much  trouble  for  a  series  of  years,  was  brouglit  to  a 
close,  and  the  inhabitants  of  both  towns  ever  after  en- 
deavored to  cherish  kind  feelings  towards  each  othei', 
though  it  was  obvious,  for  many  years,  that  the  people 
of  those  towns  did  not  associate  and  mingle  togethei' 
with  so  much  ease  as  they  did  with  those  living  in 
adjoining  towns. 

This  controversy,  aside  from  its  bad  moral  effects, 
greatly  impeded  the  settlement  of  the  two  towns.  In 
the  meantime,  adjoining  towns  were  rapidly  filling 
up ;  indeed  immigration  into  all  the  towns  west  of 
the  mountains  was  so  great  in  1787,  1788  and  1789, 
that  a  fearful  scarcity  of  provisions  was  again  realized 
in  the  winter  and  spring  of  1790. 


42  HISTORY    OF    SALlriUUKY. 


CHAPTEK    \^. 

FURTHER    DISTRIBUTION    AND    ALLOTMENT   OF   LANDS. 

The  boundaries  of  the  town  have  been  altered  still 
further  by  two  acts  of  the  Legislature ;  once  in  1832, 
by  which  a  strip  of  land  in  the  north-easterly  part  of 
the  town,  one  hundred  and  sixty  rods  wide  and  nine 
hundred  rods  long,  was  annexed  to  the  town  of  Rip- 
ton.  By  the  other  act  of  the  Legislature,  passed  in 
1840,  a  slight  alteration  was  made  in  the  southern 
boundary. 

The  charter  required  the  grantees  to  lay  out  and 
appropriate  certain  shares  for  specific  public  purposes, 
viz.,  five  hundred  acres  to  be  the  private  property'  of 
the  governor  who  granted  the  charter,  which  was  to 
l^e  laid  out  in  one  body,  in  any  part  of  the  town  he 
chose  to  designate ;  the  same  also  being  considered 
equal  to  two  shares.  One  share  to  be  appropriated  to 
the  use  of  schools  ;  anotlier  for  a  glebe  for  the  Church 
of  England ;  another  for  the  first  settled  minister, 
and  another  still  for  the  support  of  the  gospel  in 
foreign  parts. 

With  the  exception  of  the   governor's  lot,  these 


HlfiTORT    OF    SALISBUKY.  4:3 

shares  have  not  been  laid  out  as  required  by  the  char- 
ter, nor  as  intended  by  the  original  proprietors.  The 
governor's  lot  was  located  in  the  north-west  corner  of 
the  town,  and  sold  to  Holland  "Weeks  in  1785,  but 
was  not  laid  out  until  after  the  settlement  of  the  south 
line  of  Middlebury  in  1786.  The  controversy  with 
Leicester  rendered  it  doubtful  whether  any  of  the 
public  lots  could  be  laid  out  so  as  to  be  held,  legally, 
in  any  place  where  the  land  had  not  already  been 
taken  up.  And  nothing  definite  could  be  agreed 
upon  concerning  them,  until  after  the  settlement  of 
the  jurisdiction  line  between  Salisbury  and  Leicester. 
As  the  proprietors'  meetings  were  kept  alive  until 
this  settlement  took  place,  it  w^as  agreed  that  lot  No. 
12  of  the  home  lots  should  be  appropriated  as  a  ])art 
of  the  share  for  the  first  settled  minister  ;  and  lot  ]S"o. 
4:  be  appropriated  for  schools. 

It  was  found  that,  at  this  time,  all  the  lands  of  much 
value  had  been  taken  up,  and  that  many  of  the  origi- 
nal proprietors  had,  as  yet,  been  unable  to  locate  their 
rights  ;  so  that  the  remaining  part  of  the  share  for 
schools,  at  least  half  of  the  share  for  the  first  settled 
minister,  the  whole  of  the  share  for  the  support  of 
the  gospel  in  foreign  lands,  and  the  whole  of  the  glebe 
for  the  Church  of  England,  still  remained  to  be  laid, 
in  case  land  could  be  found  that  was  worth  surveying. 
It  was  finally  found  that  a  part  of  these  shares  could 


44  HISTORY   OF    8ALISBUKY. 

be  laid  on  the  iiiuuiitain,  wlicre  land,  at  present,  is  of 
no  real  value.  Here  the  remaining  part  of  the  share 
for  schools  has  been  laid  out,  and  lies  chiefly  in  that 
part  of  the  town  which  was  set  off  to  Kipton  v\  1832. 
A  part  of  the  share  for  the  fii'st  settled  minister  is  also 
found  here,  and  a  part  of  the  share  to  be  appropriated 
to  the  support  of  the  gospel  in  foreign  lands,  but  tlie 
glebe  and  otlier  public  lots  were  laid  on  that  part  of 
the  town  which  was  given  to  Leicester  by  compromise, 
and  now  no  land  can  be  found  within  the  limits  of 
the  town  on  which  either  can  be  located. 

As  the  controversy  between  Salisbury  and  Leices- 
ter, and  the  controversy  between  the  state  of  Yeinioiit 
and  the  state  of  New  York,  had  not  been  adjusted, 
the  original  grantees  did  not  think  so  favorably  of 
their  wild  lands  here  as  they  did  at  the  time  they  pro- 
cured their  charter,  and  as  these  controversial  matters 
were  not  both  settled  until  1796,  land  lying  in  this 
town  did  not  stand  very  high  in  the  market.  It  is 
believed  that  only  one  man  whose  name  appears  as 
grantee  settled  in  this  town.  Most  of  them  sold  out 
their  entire  rights,  for  insignificant  sums,  without  ever 
visiting  the  town,  and  more  than  half  allowed  their 
rights  to  be  sold  at  vendue,  to  pay  assessments  or 
taxes.  Benjamin  Smauley  bought  nineteen  full  shares 
at  vendue,  varying  in  price  from  one  pound  fifteen 
shillings  to  two  pounds  six  shillings  each.     This  could 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBLKY.  45 

not  exceed  three  or  four  cents  per  acre.  How  much 
of  this  land  was  redeemed  is  not  known ;  certainly 
very  little,  if  any.  Whole  rights  have  been  known  to 
be  sold  for  a  single  dollar. 

The  grantees  allowed  themselves,  by  vote,  to  pitch 
the  remaining  part  of  their  shares,  after  they  had 
drawn  their  home  lots.  Now,  as  nearly  half  of  these 
home  lots  were  lost  in  their  settlement  with  Leicester, 
all  they  could  do  was  to  pitch  their  land  wherever 
they  could  find  any  within  the  limits  of  the  town  that 
had  not  been  previously  taken  up ;  in  which  case  it 
was  customary  to  allow  five  rods  on  each  hundred 
rods,  and  in  that  proportion  for  a  greater  or  less  dis- 
tance, as  sag  of  chain,  so  that  if  a  person  measured 
one  hundred  rods,  he  would  add  five,  that  the  land 
might  be  sure  to  hold  out  in  measurement  after  it  was 
cleared ;  he  was  also  allowed,  by  vote,  to  lay  out,  for 
each  hundred  acres,  five  acres  for  highways,  and  in 
that  proportion,  for  a  greater  or  less  quantity  of  land. 
It  is  found  by  recent  measurement  of  some  of  the 
early  pitches,  that  the  surveyors  and  chainmen  com- 
mitted many  inaccuracies,  both  in  running  lines  and 
in  measuring.  At  that  time,  land  was  so  cheap,  it  was 
not  thought  worth  the  while  to  be  very  particular  in 
tturvej^s.  Most  of  the  pitched  lands  in  this  town,  on 
a, re-survey,  are  found  to  overrun  their  estimated 
amount,  while  a  few  fall  short. 

4 


46  HISTORY    OF   SALISBUIiY. 

As  no  fixed  rules  had  been  agreed  upon  in  pitching 
lands,  provided  pitches  were  not  made  on  lands  al- 
ready taken,  many  pieces  in  strips,  gores  and  various 
shapes  have  been  found,  on  subsequent  surveys,  lying 
between  the  original  pitches.  Such  pieces  have  been 
fenced  or  otherwise  occupied  and  held  under  the 
quieting  act  of  1785,  which  gives  the  occupant  good 
title  to  land,  after  having  peaceably  possessed  it  fif- 
teen years. 

In  the  Spring  of  1Y96  Gamaliel  Painter  and  Daniel 
Chipman,  having  been  appointed  a  committee  for 
that  purpose,  reported  a  survey  of  the  town  plot, 
agreeable  to  the  provisions  of  the  charter.  By  this 
plot  the  central  part  of  the  town  referred  to  in  the 
charter,  was  divided  into  acre  lots,  some  of  which 
were  sold  and  others  fenced  in,  by  owners  of  contig- 
uous lands,  and  probably  held  by  possession. 

After  the  controversy  with  New  York  was  settled, 
and  this  State  admitted  into  the  Union,  whicli  oc- 
curred 1Y91,  most  of  the  settlers  allowed  their  lands 
to  be  sold  for  taxes,  principally  road  and  bridge 
taxes ;  afterwards  taking  a  collector's  deed  of  them. 
Especially  was  this  the  case  with  lands  which  lay  in 
that  part  of  the  town  previously  claimed  by  Leicester. 

It  is  probable  that  none  of  the  exciting  scenes  of 
conflict  between  citizens  of  New  York,  and  settlers 
under  the  New  Hampshire  Grants,  took  place  in  this 


IIISTOliY    OF    SALISBUKY.  47 

town ;  though  the  people  were  well  acquainted  with 
the  difficulties  between  the  two  States,  and  in  case  of 
an  emergency  requiring  their  personal  interference, 
were  ready,  both  men  and  women,  to  apply  the 
"  Beach  Seal,"  in  keeping  with  the  true  meaning  of 
the  spirit  of  the  times. 


48  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 


CHAPTER  YL 


LIST   OF   TOWN    OFFICERS. 


Many  of  the  early  settlers  of  Salisbury  were  very 
illiterate  men.  and  none  had  received  any  better  edu- 
cation than  that  obtained  at  common  schools  in  the 
states  from  which  they  came.  The  extent  of  their 
learning  was  to  be  able  to  read,  write  and  spell,  and 
that,  often  very  indifferently,  while  a  few  had  some 
knowledge  of  arithmetic.  Some  persons  were  elected 
to  important  offices  in  town,  who  had  no  knowledge 
of  figures,  and  could  not  even  write.  This  was  not  a 
rare  occurrence.  If,  for  instance,  one  of  the  three  se- 
lect men,  had  a  knowledge  of  the  primary  branches 
of  education,  it  mattered  little  how  it  might  be  with 
the  others,  provided  they  were  good  judges  of  men 
and  property.  The  same  might  be  said  of  the  listers 
and  perhaps  of  other  officers. 

Tlie  following  is  a  list  of  town  officers  from  March 
1Y88  to  Sei^tember  1859. 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY. 


Town  Clbrk. 
1788. 


Selectmen, 


Tbeasttrer  anp 
Repbebentative. 


EleazeiClaghorn.Jas.  Bradley,  T. 
EleazerClaghorn,  St^hen^Hard,^^^^   Steph.  Hard,  E. 

"*'•  E-Claghom,  Jas.  Bradley, 

EleazerClaghorn,  |.Harf., 

James  Bradley, 

'^^^^'  Holland  Weeks, 

Abel  Johnson, 
EleazerClaghorn,  E.Kel^ey^^^^^ 

S.  Hard, 

^'^^^'  A.  Johnson, 

EleazerClaghorn,  I  Hard^^^ 

John  Fife, 

1792 

Asa  Lawrence, 

EleazerClaghorn,  E.Claghora, 

"''■  Eleazer  Claghorn, 

EleazerClaghorn,  |l«sM^ey,^_ 


S.  Hard, 
J.  Bradley, 

E.  Claghorn, 
J.  Bradley, 


49 

CONBTABX.B. 

Stephen  Hard. 
Stephen  Hard. 

Solomon  Everts. 


1794. 
Stephen  Hard, 

1795. 
Stephen  Hard, 

1796. 
Stephen  Hard, 

1797. 
Stephen  Hard, 

1798. 
Stephen  Hard, 

4* 


E.  Kelsey, 
SalathielBump, 
Holland  Weeks, 

S.  Bump, 
E.  Claghorn, 
Jas.  Bradley, 

S.  Bump, 
E.  Claghorn, 
J.  Bradley, 

E.  Claghorn, 
S.  Bump, 
Asa  Lawrence, 

S.  Bump, 
A.  Lawrence, 
S.  Hard, 


Solomon  Everts. 


E.  Claghorn, 

J.  Bradley, 

S.  Hard, 

Jas.  Bradley, 

S.  Hard, 

Jas.  Bradley, 

S.  Hard, 

E.  Claghorn, 

Stephen  Hard, 

Holland  Weeks 

E.  Claghorn, 

H.  Weeks, 
E.  Claghorn, 

S.  Bump, 
S.  Hard, 


Solomon  Everts 
Solomon  Everts. 
Sam'l  Pierce. 
Sam'l  Pierce. 
'  Sam'l  Pierce. 
Sam'l  Pierce. 
Sam'l  Pier?®- 


50 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY. 


Town  Clkrk. 

1799. 
Beuben  Saxton. 

1800. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1801. 
Ueuben  Saxton, 

1802. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1803. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1804. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1805. 
IBeuben  Saxton, 

1806. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1807. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1808. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1809. 
Kcubcn  Saxton, 

1810. 
Reuben  Saxton, 


Ski.kctmkn. 


H.  Weeks, 
John  Doming, 
Wm.  Smauley, 

11.  Weeks, 
J.  Deming, 
W.  Smauley, 

S.  Bump, 
A.  Lawrence, 
Abner  More, 

S.  Bump, 
A.  Lawrence, 
W.  Smauley, 

S.  Bump, 
Henry  Kelar, 
E.  Claghorn, 

S.  Bump, 
H.  Kelar, 
E.  Claghoni, 

S.  Bump, 
H.  Kelar, 
E.  Claghorn, 

S.  Bump, 
E.  Kelsey, 
U.  Kelar, 

S.  Bump, 
E.  Kelsey, 
H.  Kelar, 

S.  Bump, 
A.  Moroj 
Gam'l  Kelsey, 

H.  Kelar, 
Patrick  Johnson, 
Jonathan  Gibson, 

H.  Kelar, 
P.  Johnson, 
J.  Gibson, 


Trkasuker  and 
Eepkesektative. 

n.  Weeks, 

S.  Bump, 

Reuben  Saxton, 

S.  Bump, 

R.  Saxton, 

S.  Bump, 

R.  Saxton, 

S.  Bump, 

S.  Bump. 

R.  Saxton, 

S.  Bump, 

R.  Saxton, 

R.  Saxton, 

S.  Buihp, 

R.  Saxton, 

S.  Bump, 

R.  Saxton, 

S.  Bump, 

R.  Saxton, 

S.  Bump, 

R.  Saxton, 

R.  Saxton, 

R.  Saxton, 

R.  Saxton, 


CoWSTAItl.K. 


Sam'l  Pierce. 


Sam'l  Pierce. 


Sam'l  Pierce. 


Sam'l  Pierce, 


Sam'l  Pierce. 


Sam'l  Pierce. 


Sam'l  Pierce. 


Sam'l  Pierce, 


Sam'l  Pierce. 


Abner  More. 


Caleb  H.  Crook, 


Eliakim    Wcckjj. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 


51 


Town  Clekk. 

1811. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1812. 
Rouben  Saxton, 

1813. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1814. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1815. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1816. 
Reuben  Saxton. 

1817. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1818. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1819. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1820.' 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1821. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1822. 
Reuben  Saxton, 


Selectmen. 


S.  Bump, 
J.  Gibson, 
Joel  Newton, 

J.  Wainwright, 
John  Morton, 
Isaac  Nelson, 

P.  Johnson, 
Jona  Gibson, 
Eliakim  "Weeks, 

Josiah  W.  Halo, 
Jed'h  Lawrence, 
Jona  Gibson, 

J.  W.  Hale, 
Jona.  Gibson, 
Jed'h  Lawrence, 

J.  Wainwright, 
R.  Saxton, 
John  Morton, 

R.  Saxton, 
J.  Morton, 
E.  Weeks, 

R.  Saxton, 
J.  Morton, 
E.  Weeks, 

S.  Bump, 
E.  Weeks, 
A.  Mere, 

J.  M.  Weeks, 
E.  Weeks, 
A.  More, 

A.  More, 
S.  Bump, 
Aaron  Barrows, 

A.  More, 
S.  Bump, 
A.  Barrows, 


Treasuker  and 
Eepeesentative. 

E.  Saxton, 

S.  Bump, 

S.  Bump, 

R.  Saxton, 

R.  Saxton, 

R.  Saxton, 

R.  Saxton, 

R-  Saxton, 

R.  Saxton, 

Jona.  Gibson, 

S.  Bump, 

Jona.  Gibson, 

Arteraas  Moses, 

Jona.  Gibson, 

Jas.  Andrews, 

S.  Bump, 

J.  M.  Weeks, 

S.  Bump, 

R.  Saxton, 

S.  Bump, 

R,  Saxton, 

S.  Bump, 

E.  Saxton, 

S.  Bump, 


Constable, 
Eliakim  Weeks. 
James  Crook. 
John  M.  Week)*. 
John  M.  Weeks. 
Eliakim  Weeks. 
Eliakim  Weeks. 
Eliakim  Weeks, 
Ruel  Smith. 
Truman  Dewey. 
Truman  Dewej. 
Truman  Dewey. 
Truman  Dewey. 


62 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBUKY. 


Town  Clerk. 

1823. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1824. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1825. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1826. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1827. 
Reuben  Saxton, 

1828. 
Harvey  Deming, 

1829. 
Harvey  Deming, 

1830. 
Harvey  Deming, 

1831. 
Harvey  Deming, 

1832. 
Wash'n  Miller, 

1833. 
Wash'n  Miller, 

1834. 
Waah»n  Miller, 


Sblecthbk. 


A.  Barrows, 
J.  Morton, 
Nath'l  Spencer, 

A.  Barrows, 
N.  Spencer, 
Jona.  Gibson, 


Teeasttree  and 
Kkpeesentativb. 

R.  Saxton, 

Harvey  Deming, 

R.  Saxton, 

H.  Deming, 


Caleb  H.  Crook,     R.  Saxton, 

J.  Morton, 

Gam'l  Kelsey,         A.  Barrows, 

H.  Deming,  R.  Saxton, 

N.  Spencer, 

Leonard  Steward,  A.  Barrows, 

Elnathan  Darling,  A.  Barrows, 

N.  Spencer, 

L.  Steward,  A.  Barrows, 

E.  Darling,  A.  Barrows, 

N.  Spencer, 

Prentice  G.  Alden,  A.  Barrows, 


E.  Darling, 
L.  Bump, 
A.  Doud, 

H.  Deming, 
A.  Doud, 

N.  Spencer, 

H.  Deming, 
A.  Doud, 
N.  Spencer, 

A.  Barrows, 
C.  Bump, 
P.  Flagg, 

P.  Flagg, 
C.  Bump, 
A.  Barrows, 


A.  Barrows, 

Jona.  Gibson, 

A.  Barrows, 

E.  Darling, 

A.  Barrows, 

E.  N.  Briggs, 

A.  Barrows, 

E.  N.  Briggs, 

A.  Barrows, 

E.  N.  Briggs, 

E.  N.  Briggs,  A.  Barrows, 

Franklin  Bump, 

Morris  Graves,        E.  N.  Briggs, 


UONSTABLK. 

Truman  Dewey. 
Lothrop  Bump. 
Albigence  Doud. 
Lothrop  Bump. 
Wash'n  Miller. 
Wash'n  Miller. 
Wash'n  Miller. 
Levi  Briggs. 
Levi  Briggs. 
Levi  Briggs. 
Mark  R.  Weeks. 
Levi  Briggs. 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 


53 


TovTN  Clerk. 

1835. 
Wash'n  Miller, 

1886. 
Aaron  Barrows, 

1837. 
Aaron  Barrows, 

1838. 
V.  D.  Barrows, 

1839. 
P.  D.  Barrows, 

1840. 
P.  D.  Barrows, 

1841. 
P.  D.  Barrows, 

1842. 
P.  D.  Barrows, 

1843. 
P.  D.  Barrows, 

1844.- 
P.  D.  Barrows, 

1845. 
P.  D.  Barrows, 

1846. 
E.  H.  Weeks, 


Selectmen. 


E.  N.  Briggs, 

F.  Bump, 
Truman  Titus, 

F.  Bump, 
T.  Titus, 
Sumner  Briggs, 

James  L.  Morton, 
S.  Brigofs, 
E.  H.^Vceks, 

S.  Briggs, 
E.  H.  Weeks, 
Albi  Doud, 

E.  H.  Weeks, 
J.  R.  Olin, 
L.  Bump, 

E.  H.  Weeks, 
L.  Bump, 

Miles  Storey, 

M.  Storey, 

F.  Bump, 

J.  M.  Weeks, 

M.  Storey, 
F.  Bump, 
J.  M.  Weeks, 

J.  M.  Weeks, 
M.  S.  Doty, 
John  Dyer, 

M.  S.  Doty, 

J.  Dyer, 

E.  11.  Weeks, 

Sam'l  S.  Crook, 
O.  P.  Shelden, 
A.  Barrows, 

S.  S.  Crook, 
0.  P.  Shelden, 
Amos  Hamilton, 


Treasurub  and 

liEPKESENTATIVB. 

A.  Barrows, 

E.  N.  Briggs, 
John  Beckwith, 
A  Barrows, 

J.  Beckwith, 
A.  Barrows, 
W.  Miller, 
Mark  E.  Weeks, 
W.  Miller, 
Mark  R.  Weeks, 
W.  Miller, 
M.  E.  Weeks, 
M.  H.  Eanncy, 
Franklin  Bump, 
M.  11.  Eanney, 

F.  Bump, 

M.  n.  Ranney, 
Sumner  Briggs, 
M.  H.  Eanney, 
Sumner  Briggs, 
M.  H.  Eanney, 
S.  S.  Crook, 
M.  S.  Doty, 
Sam'l  S.  Crook, 


CONSTABLB. 

Levi  Briggs. 
Levi  Briggs. 
Levi  Briggs. 
Levi  Briggs. 
Levi  Briggs. 
Levi  Briggs. 


A.  B.  Huntly. 
A.  B.  Huntly. 
A.  B.  Huntly. 
A.  B.  Huntly. 
A.  B.  Huntly. 
Sol.  Thomas,  jr. 


54 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBUKV. 


To-wN  Clerk. 

1S47. 
E.  H.  Weeks, 

1848. 

K.  11.  Weeks, 

1849. 
K.  II.  Weeks, 

1850. 
Lothrop  Bump, 

1851. 
Lothrop  Bump, 

1852. 
E,  Jl.  Weeks, 

1853. 
E.  H.  Weeks, 

1854. 
E.  H.  Weeks, 

1855. 
J.  N.  Moore, 

1856. 
J.  N.  Moore, 

1857. 
E.  A.  Hamilton, 

1858. 
E.  A.  Hamilton, 

1859. 
JR.  A.  Hamilton, 


Belectmkn. 

A.  Hamilton, 
F.  Bump, 
James  Fitts, 

F.  Bump, 

J.  Fitts, 

John  J.  Kelsey, 

J.  Prout,^ 
John  J.  Kelsey, 
J.  Fitts, 


Tkeasurbr  and 

EkI'RKSENTATIVK. 

O.  G.  Dyer, 
John  Prout, 
O.  G.  Dyer, 
John  Prout, 
0.  G.  Dyer, 
John  Colby, 
John  M.  Dyer, 


J.  Prout, 

Koyal  D.  Hedden, 

Al'n  Wainwright,  John  Colby, 


J.  Prout, 
F.  Bump, 
H.  Thomas, 

John  Prout, 
F.  Bump, 
H.  Thomas, 

II.  Thomas, 
Koyal  Graves, 
J.  J.  Kelsey, 

H.  Thomas, 
J.  J.  Kelsey, 
K.  Graves, 

H.  Thomas, 
Jas.  Fitts, 
F.  L.  Dyer, 

Jas,  Fitts, 
F.  L.  Dyer, 
Frank  Atwood, 


F.  Bump, 
H.  Thomas, 
F.  D.  Taylor, 

H.  W.  Everts, 
II.  Tliomas, 
Elijah  Cloyes, 


J.  M.  Dyer, 
John  Dyer, 
J.  M.  Dyer, 
John  Dyer, 
J.  N.  Moore, 
F.  Bump, 
J.  N.  Moore, 

E.  H.  Weeks, 
J.  N.  Moore, 

F.  Bump, 
J.  N.  Moore, 
E.  H.  Weeks, 
W.  A.Waterhouse, 


Const  AB  LB. 
Nehemiah  Pray. 

James  Fitts,  jr. 

James  Fitts,  jr. 

James  Fitts,  jr. 

James  Fitts,  jr. 

Jas.  Fitts. 

Jas.  Fitts,  jr. 

J.  C.  Gipson. 

J.  C.  Gipson. 

J.  C.  Gipson. 


F.  L.  Dyer, 

H.  Thomas, 

F.  L.  Dyer," 

H.  W.  Everts,         H.  Thomas, 

H.  Thomas, 

Al'n  Wainwright,  J.  M.  Dyer, 


Jas.  Fitts,  jr. 


Jas.  Fitts,  jr. 


Jas.  Fitts,  jr. 


mSTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  55 


CHAPTEK  YII. 

ALLOTMENT   OF    SCHOOL   DISTRICTS. NOTICES    OF  SCHOOLS. 

At  a  town  meeting,  held  March  21,  1789,  it  was 
voted  to  divide  the  town  into  three  school  district?. 
The  first  to  embrace  all  the  inhabitants  living  on  the 
west  road,  from  Holland  Weeks'  to  Benjamin  Gar- 
field's (Leonard  Jenny's  present  place  of  residence) ; 
also  the  nearest  inhabitants  living  on  cross  roads. 
The  second  commenced  at  Gamaliel  Painter's,  and 
embraced  all  the  people  living  on  the  middle  road,  as 
well  as  those  living  nearest  on  cross  roads  as  far  south 
as  William  Kendal's,  who  then  lived  on  the  farm  now 
occupied  by  Lothrop  Bump.  The  third  embraced  as 
many  as  would  join  to  support  a  school  on  the  east 
road,  from  Gilbert  Everts',  on  the  north,  to  Leicester 
line,  on  the  south.  Only  one  school  district  was  le- 
gally organized  this  year. 

The  history  of  the  difi'erent  school  districts  must 
necessarily  be  very  meagre,  for  the  early  records  of 
all,  except  one,  have  been  lost,  or  so  indifi'erently 
kept,  that  it  is  impossible  to  gather  a  connected  and 
intelligible  account  from  them.     The  first  district  or- 


56  HISTORY    OF    SALISBUIiY. 

ganized  is  tlie  exception  above  referred  to,  and  was 
that  embracing  the  west  pavt  of  the  town  ;  though 
the  oldest,  its  records  have  been  carefull}^  kept  in  a 
bound  book,  and  preserved  entire  to  the  present  day. 
This  district  was  organized  on  the  22d  day  of  Octo- 
ber, 1789,  on  which  occasion  Joseph  Farnham  was 
chosen  moderator,  and  Holland  Weeks  clerk.  Quite 
a  large  portion  of  the  inhabitants  lived  in  the  west 
part  of  the  town  at  that  time,  all  of  whom  were 
anxious  for  the  early  education  of  their  children. 

A  good  teacher,  a  man  of  classical  education,  named 
Matthew  Sterling  was  soon  procured.  He  commenced 
school  in  the  latter  part  of  the  autumn  of  1789,  in  a 
small  log  house  which  stood  on  the  ground  now  occu- 
pied by  the  stone  school  house.  A  more  commodious 
house,  twenty-four  feet  square  oT  frame  work,  was 
built  a  few  rods  north  of  this  place,  the  following 
year.  Here  Mr.  Sterling  remained  in  the  capacity  of 
teacher  for  several  years.  *     On  account  of  the  scar- 

*  Mr.  Sterling  was  in  many  respects  an  excellent  teacher. 
He  followed  the  old  Connecticut  customs  in  his  mode  of  in- 
struction and  government. 

In  the  winter  of  1793,  as  the  number  of  his  pupils  had 
increased  to  about  forty,  ho  appointed  Eliakim  Weeks  and 
Horatio  Watrous,  Ushers^  and  required  that  to  thcra  the  school 
should  show  the  same  obedience  and  deference  as  to  himself. 
These  ushers  were  allowed  to  pass  in  and  out  of  the  house,  as 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  57 

city  of  money  in  those  days,  it  was  tlie  custom  among 
the  people  for  a  few  years,  to  pay  for  the  tuition  of 
their  children  in  labor,  so  that  while  the  master  was 
teaching  the  children  to  read,  write  and  spell,  their 
fathers  were  cleari;ig  up  his  land,  harrowing  his 
ground  and  sowing  his  seed.     The  taxes  for  schools 

often  as  they  pleased,  even  during  study  hours,  while  the 
whole  school  were  reC[uired  to  rise  and  make  obeisance  to  them 
as  often  as  they  passed  through  the  door.  Such  rules  would 
hardly  succeed  in  these  later  days,  indeed  those  ushers,  even 
then,  were  objects  of  envy  and  jealousy  among  the  large 
scholars,  and  gave  rise  to  dissatisfaction  in  the  district 
School  government  in  those  days,  as  a  general  thing,  was 
much  more  severe  than  at  present.  In  the  winter  of  1794  or 
1795  Mr.  Sterling  made  a  rule  in  school,  that  as  often  as  any 
scholar  misspelt  three  words  in  succession,  he  should  be 
ferulled.  Lewis  Graves,  one  of  the  largest  boys,  who  had  not 
previously  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  a  school,  except  to  a 
very  limited  extent,  believing  the  rule  was  made  to  reach  him 
alone,  became  so  frightened  at  the  time  of  recitation,  that  he 
was  unable  to  spell  a  single  word  correctly,  and  the  law  was 
executed  upon  him  in  the  severest  manner,  nine  different  times 
(some  said  eleven  times)  in  a  single  half-day.  By  this  time 
the  people  in  the  district  became  justly  alarmed,  and  at  the 
close  of  that  winter's  term,  Mr.  S.  was  allowed  to  retire  from 
any  further  service  as  school  teacher.  Lewis  Graves,  in  the 
year  ]854  was  between  seventy  and  eighty  years  of  age,  a  re- 
spectable and  intelligent  farmer,  in  the  north-eastern  part  of 
New  York. 
5 


58  HISTOKY    OF    SALISBURY. 

were  invariably  made  upon  the  grand  list,  thus  re- 
lieving the  poor  of  any  considerable  tax  except  in  the 
matter  of  furnishing  wood,  which  was  a  thing  easily 
done  in  a  country  covered  with  timber. 

Until  about  the  year  1810  or  1811  no  change  was 
made  in  the  manner  of  raising  or  paying  the  wages 
of  district  school  teachers.  The  tax  was  always 
paid  promptly  on  or  before  the  last  day  of  the  term, 
until  a  new  order  of  things  was  instituted  by  a  legis- 
lative act,  which  required  school  taxes  to  be  paid  into 
the  town  treasury,  and  distributed  to  the  several  dis- 
tricts, in  proportion  to  the  number  of  scholars  in  each. 
Previous  to  this,  the  school  in  district  'No.  1,  was  one 
of  the  best  in  Addison  County.  Parents,  as  well  as 
committees  were  punctual  in  visiting  it,  encouraging 
both  teacher  and  pupils,  and  prompt  in  all  things 
pertaining  to  the  interests  of  the  school.  But  by  the 
new  law,  more  than  half  of  the  money  raised  by  this 
district  was  drawn  away  and  distributed  to  others. 
This  soon  produced  indifference  among  many  of  our 
citizens,  and  the  interest  in  common-school  education 
generally,  evidently  began  to  decline.  Taxes  could 
not  be  collected  as  formerly  without  great  delay ;  the 
school  was  not  visited,  and  less  interest  was  manifested 
in  the  character  and  ability  of  teachers.  This  law, 
by  most  people  in  the  district,  was  considered  oppres- 
sive.    Moreover,  the  war  of  1812,  with  its  bad  effects, 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  59 

lay  heayilj  on  the  shoulders  of  the  people  ;  and  what 
was  still  more  discouraging,  their  school-house  was 
burned  down  in  1815.  But  these  adverse  circum- 
stances and  feelings  of  dissatisfaction  ^ere,  on  reflec- 
tion, overcome  by  a  more  generous  spirit,  which  may 
well  be  cherished  everywhere — for  by  it  the  common- 
school  education  of  the  poor  is  placed  on  an  equal 
footing  with  that  of  the  rich.  Most  of  the  people 
finally  approved  of  the  law;  new  energies  were 
brought  to  life,  and  a  new  school-house,  of  stone, 
erected  within  a  year  from  the  time  the  old  one  was 
burnt. 

The  law  referred  to  had  a  disastrous  effect  on  some 
of  the  other  school  districts.  The  inhabitants  of  dis- 
trict 'No.  3,  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  also  thought 
the  law  an  oppressive  one,  and  allowed  their  school- 
house  to  go  to  decay,  and  their  schools  to  stop,  for 
the  most  part,  for  many  years.  It  is  believed  they 
were  without  a  school-house  for  nearly  thirty  years, 
employing  female  teachers  only,  and  occupying  a 
room  in  some  private  dwelling  as  a  school-j*oom,  and 
that  only  during  a  small  portion  of  the  year.  Indeed, 
only  the  small  children  were  taught  in  the  district, 
while  the  large  boys  and  girls  were  accommodated  in 
neighboring  districts,  or  sent  to  high-schools  abroad. 
But,  under  a  change  of  circumstances,  this  district 
has  become  more  prosperous,  and  now  has  a  good 


60  HISTOKY    OF    SALISBURY. 

Bchool-house,  built  in  1848.  The  interest  of  the  peo- 
ple of  this  town  in  common  schools  is  apparent  from 
the  earnest  and  ready  action  which  has  been  taken  in 
building  new  school-houses,  and  in  removing  old  and 
inconvenient  fixtures,  and  giving  place  to  those  of 
more  modern  and  agreeable  style,  and  better  in  keep- 
ing with  the  comfort  and  health  of  those  who  use  and 
occupy  them.  ^ 

Four  new  school-houses  were  built  in  this  town 
within  two  or  three  years  previous  to  1849. 

Moreover,  the  annual  interest  of  the  United  States' 
deposit-money  has  been  of  great  service  to  common 
schools.  This  interest,  amounting  to  $129  08,  was 
first  made  available  in  1839,  and  lessens  the  school 
tax  to  a  sum  which  can  be  raised  without  much 
effort.  The  United  States'  deposit-money  for  the  town 
of  Salisbury,  in  1838,  was  $2,1C5  22.  Under  the 
census  of  1840,  a  small  portion  of  this  sum  was  taken 
away,  which  reduced  it  to  $2,159  34,  and,  under  the 
census  of  1850,  $30  95  was  added  to  the  latter  sum. 

The  first  school-books  used  in  this  town  were  Web- 
Bter's  Spelling  Book  and  Third  Part  (Dillworth's 
Spelling  Book  and  Arithmetic  were  used  in  a  few  in- 
stances, but  only  for  a  short  time).  Pike's  Abridged 
Arithmetic  soon  came  into  use,  and  was  the  only 
book  of  that  kind  used  for  quite  a  number  of  years. 
Latin  Grammar  was  taught  in  district  No.  1,  in  the 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  61 

winter  of  1797-98,  and  English  Grammar  in  tlie  win- 
ter of  1799-1800.  A  large  majority  of  the  people 
were  opposed  to  the  study  of  Grammar  in  common- 
schools,  and  it  was  laid  aside  for  many  years.  A 
good  knowledge  of  Arithmetic,  as  far  as  the  Rule  of 
Three,  together  with  a  knowledge  of  reading,  writing, 
and  spelling,  was  considered  by  the  early  settlers  a 
sufficient  and  ample  education  to  fit  a  young  man  for 
all  ordinary  business  transactions.  Those  who  de- 
sired a  more  liberal  education,  had  the  advantages  of 
a  grammar-school,  taking  the  name  of  Addison  County, 
which  was  incorporated  under  an  act  of  Legislature, 
and  established  at  Middlebury  in  1799. 

The  people  of  Salisbury,  from  the  first  settlement 
of  the  town,  have  endeavored  to  aid  their  teachers  as 
much  as  possible  in  sustaining  good  order  and  gov- 
ernment in  school.  A  few  parents,  it  is  true,  have, 
at  times,  seemed  unwilling  that  their  children  should 
be  made  to  obey  the  rules  of  their  teachers,  unless, 
perchance,  those  rules  accorded  with  their  own  notions 
of  government,  which,  in  most  cases,  was  no  govern- 
ment at  all,  either  in  school  or  at  home.  It  is  un- 
doubtedly true,  that  children  brought  up  under  loose 
parental  discipline,  are  oftenest  found  to  be  refractory 
and  disobedient  in  school.  There  is  no  authority 
which  can  be  invested  in  a  teacher,  nor  can  a  teacher 
adopt  any  system  of  government,  which  shall  equal 

5* 


62  HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY. 

the  quiet  yet  eifectual  influences   of  a  good  early 
training  of  children  at  home. 

In  this  town  it  has  sometimes  occurred,  though 
rarely,  that  large  boys,  even  young  men,  have  gone 
80  far  in  resistance  to  the  teacher's  authority  as  to 
make  opposition  in  a  personal  conflict ;  and,  in  a  very 
few  instances,  combinations  have  been  formed  for  the 
purpose  of  turning  the  teacher  out  of  doors.  The 
most  striking  instance  of  this  kind  occurred  at  Salis- 
bury village,  in  district  No.  5,  in  the  winter  of  1826. 
A  young  man  by  the  name  of  William  Blake  was  em- 
ployed in  teaching  this  school  at  that  time.  All  went 
on  in  good  order  until  the  sti^ctness  of  the  discipline  be- 
came unpleasant  to  a  few  of  the  large  boys  in  attend- 
ance. These  boys,  it  is  said,  combined  together  to 
put  the  teacher  out  of  doors,  one  day,  in  case  he  un- 
dertook to  punish  one  of  their  number,  who  had  pre- 
viously been  deemed  guilty  of  some  ofieuce.  In  the 
morning  of  the  day  intended  for  the  infliction  of  the 
punishment,  suspicions  of  this  combination  were  com- 
municated to  Mr.  Blake ;  but  being  a  man  of  more 
than  ordinary  strength,  he  concluded  that  the  boys 
would  not  dare  to  attempt  to  carry  out  so  hazardous 
a  plan,  and  was  about  to  inflict  punishment  on  the 
offbnder,  when  Seymour  C.  Howard,  a  young  man  of 
considerable  strength,  stepped  out  of  his  seat  and 
demanded  that  the  punishment  should   not  be  in- 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  63 

iiicted.  This  provocation  was  followed  by  a  scuffle 
between  the  teacher  and  pupil,  which,  while  it  was 
the  means  of  restoring  order  in  school,  resulted  in  the 
death  of  the  latter,  for  he  died  in  the  course  of  a  few 
hours,  from  the  effect  of  a  fracture  in  the  skull  which 
he  received  during  the  conflict. 

The  facts  of  this  case  were  subsequently  examined 
before  the  county  court,  in  a  trial  against  Mr.  Blake 
for  manslaughter,  but  which  resulted  in  his  acquittal.* 


*  The  schools  of  Salisburj,  like  those  of  every  other  town, 
have  had  their  fun-loving  and  truant  boys,  who  have  at  times 
learned,  from  sad  experience,  what  books  would  ever  fail  to 
teach  them.  An  incident  occurred  in  one  of  our  schools,  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  which  illustrates  this 
idea,  and  was  substantially  as  follows  : — Two  large  boys,  who 
had  become  fatigued  with  the  monotony  of  the  school-room, 
and  who,  perhaps,  by  nature,  had  at  that  time  a  greater  inclina- 
tion for  the  incidents  and  pleasures  of  the  woods  than  for  those 
of  the  intellect,  concluded  they  would  leave  the  school  one 
afternoon,  -and  go  into  the  woods  in  search  of  tamarack  gum. 
They  entered  the  woods  at  no  great  distance  from  the  school- 
house,  and  had  not  proceeded  far,  when  they  discovered  in  the 
snow  the  track  of  some  wild  animal,  which  neither  of  them 
had  previously  seen.  The  thought  struck  them  at  once,  that 
if  they  could  make  this  animal,  whatever  it  might  be,  their 
captive,  it  might  mitigate,  somewhat,  the  offence  of  running 
away  from  school,  at  the  same  time  that  it  would  furnish  an 
object  of  curiosity  for  all  the  neighborhood.     So  tliey  followed 


64  HISTORY   OF   SALTSBUBr. 

No  country  was  ever  settled  under  auspices  niore 
favorable  to  the  education  of  the  common  people 
than  JS'ew  England.     Education  of  the  masses  was 

the  track  until  it  entered  the  hollow  of  a  large  log.  Eager  in  the 
prospect  of  so  easy  a  prize,  they  cut  a  stick  and  prepared  the 
end  of  it,  so  that  by  twisting  it  into  the  hair  of  the  animal,  he 
could  be  drawn  out  to  their  reach ;  but,  on  trying,  the  stick 
was  found  too  short  for  the  purpose,  and  it  was  finally  agreed 
between  them  that  one  should  crawl  into  the  log,  while  the 
other  should  stand  with  a  club  in  hand,  ready  for  any  emer- 
gency which  might  arise  on  the  occasion.  So,  with  no  little 
uncertainty  as  to  the  result  of  an  interview  with  an  unknown 
animal,  one  of  the  boys  took  the  stick  and  entered  the  log. 
When  he  had  crowded  himself  in  a  distance  nearly  the  length 
of  his  body,  he  succeeded  in  reaching  the  object  of  his  search, 
and  proceeded  to  stir  him  up  with  the  end  of  his  stick. 

Now,  the  first  occupant  having  taken  up  his  residence  here, 
and  established  his  rights  thereto  by  possession  Or  discovery, 
or  other  natural  laws,  supposed  no  human  authority  could 
expel  him ;  and  being  endowed  by  his  Maker  with  instruments 
of  self-defence  sufficient,  in  this  case  at  least,  to  repel  inva- 
sion, he  directed,  with  the  precision  of  a  perfect  marksman,  a 
shot  of  that  nondescript  character  so  j^eculiar  to  his  kind,  into 
the  face  and  eyes  of  the  intruder,  which,  from  its  native  pun- 
gency and  suffocating  influences,  rendered  the  young  man  in- 
sensible until  he  was  drawn  forth  by  the  heels  from  the  log 
into  the  open  air.  With  his  returning  breath  came  the  con- 
sciousness that  he  had  learned  more  of  the  nature  of  wild  ani- 
mals that  afternoon,  than  he  could  have  done  in  a  much  longer 
time  from  his  books  at  school.     It  must  be  added,  that  while 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  65 

rightly  deemed  the  foundation  of  every  permanent 
beneficent  institution,  and  it  has  ever  been  the  sure 
guaranty  for  their  perpetuation.  All  towns  and  set- 
tlements at  their  beginning  felt  the  importance  of 
good  teachers  and  good  ministers.  The  people  wanted 
instructors  not  only  pious  but  learned.  On  the  other 
hand,  those  who  had  the  power,  made  this  want  felt 
by  the  people.  One  of  the  leading  points  in  the 
application  of  a  church  and  people  to  a  council  of 
clergy  to  settle  a  minister  among  them,  was  a  guar- 
anty on  the  part  of  the  people  that  he  should  be  well 
and  liberally  supported,  to  enable  him  to  devote  him- 
self to  his  studies,  rather  than  compel  him  to  devote 
a  part  of  his  time  to  outside  employments  to  procure 
a  living.  Most  of  the  settlers  of  Vermont  came  from 
the  Xew  England  states,  and  inherited  the  habits  and 
customs  of  their  fathers,  and  in  respect  to  liberality 
towards  their  ministers,  did  not  lose  sight  of  the  ex- 
ample of  their  native  states.  One  of  the  first  things 
of  a  public  character  we  find  among  the  early  settlers. 


one  of  the  boys  declared  the  truthfulness  of  these  facts,  the 
other  was  unwilling  to  acknowledge  that  he,  at  any  time, 
either  in  the  log  or  out  of  it,  lost  his  consciousness ;  but,  at 
any  rate,  his  presence  the  following  day,  and  for  several  sub- 
sequent weeks,  gave  evidence  to  the  whole  school  that  he  had 
been  in  strange,  if  not  in  bad  company. 


66  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

is  the  institution  of  common  schools  and  churches, 
which  are  soon  followed  by  colleges  and' benevolent 
institutions,  exerting  a  most  salutary  moral  and  liter- 
ary influence  in  the  land.  The  cause  of  education  has 
advanced  in  a  marvelous  way,  and  now,  as  we  look 
upon  the  books  and  studies  of  this  later  day,  we  are 
lost  in  reflecting  upon  its  strange  contrast  with  the 
quiet,  unlearned  simplicity  of  early  life. 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  67 


CHAPTER  Yin. 

GEOGRAPHICAL    DESCRIPTION. SOIL. TIMBER. CROPS 

AND    PRODUCE. SHEEP. AGRICULTURAL   LMPLEMENTS. 

The  distance  between  the  eastern  and  western 
boundaries  of  the  town  of  Salisbury,  including  the 
strip  ceded  to  Ripton,  is  seven  miles ;  and  a  line  from 
north  to  south  through  the  town,  on  the  head  of  the 
second  tier  of  home  lots,  measures  four  miles  and 
thirty-three  rods.  It  is  probably  a  little  wider  than 
this  at  the  west  end. 

It  is  estimated  that  one  third  of  the  town  or  more,  in- 
cluding Lake  Dunmore,  lies  on  the  mountains,  much 
of  which  is  good  loam  soil,  capable  of  being  made 
into  good  pasture  land,  but  which  is,  for  the  most 
part,  too  cold  for  tillage.  Many  fine  lots  of  timber 
are  yet  found  here,  composed  chiefly  of  spruce,  maple, 
birch  and  other  hard-wood  trees,  together  with  some 
stately  pines.  The  difficulty  of  making  roads  upon 
the  mountain-side  has  hitherto  prevented  any  great 
improvement  in  these  lands,  the  most  of  which  are 
yet  in  a  wild  state.  That  body  of  land  lying  along 
the  western  side  of  the  mountain,  varying  from  one 


08  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

to  one  and  a  half  miles  in  width,  is  somewhat  hilly, 
but  is  excellent  land  for  the  purposes  of  tilling. 
Wheat,  corn,  rye,  oats,  and  all  other  crops  raised  in 
this  state,  are  successfully  cultivated  here,  and  with 
less  liability  of  failure  (the  hay  crop  excepted,)  than 
in  any  other  part  of  the  town. 

Notwithstanding  many  of  the  pines  which  once 
dotted  the  hills  and  covered  the  valleys  with  their 
evergreen  shade,  have  gone  to  supply  the  markets  of 
the  world,  a  good  number  yet  remain,  and  still  an 
abundance  of  oak  is  found  for  the  various  branches  of 
the  mechanic  arts,  for  building  purposes  and  fencing 
the  land.  The  middle  and  western  part  of  the  town 
is  more  level  and  better  adapted  to  grass.  Much  of 
it  is  of  an  alluvial  nature,  bordering  on  streams  which 
meander  through  the  town,  from  the  mountains. 
Leicester  river,  which  takes  its  rise  from  Lake  Dun- 
more,  runs  through  the  village  and  along  near  the 
southern  boundary  of  the  town  until  it  empties  into 
Otter  creek.  To  the  north  of  this  river,  a  swamp, 
w^ith  a  little  of  that  land  called  interval,  forms  quite 
an  extensive  tract,  and  extends  to  the  north  nearly 
one  fourth  of  the  distance  across  the  town,  and  nearly 
to  the  swamp  which  borders  Otter  creek.  This  swamp 
which  borders  on  Otter  creek  varies  in  width  from 
about  ninety  rods  to  a  mile,  and  extends  throughout 
the  entire  width  of  the  town.  There  is  another  swamp. 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY.  69 

about  half  a  mile  in  width,  which  extends  from  the 
northern  boundary  about  two  miles  to  the  south. 
This  swamp  was  made  by  tlie  combined  influence  of 
Middlebury  river  (the  channel  of  which  for  about  a 
mile  is  found  in  Salisbury),  Flat  brook  and  Beaver 
brook.  These  two  latter  streams  empty  into  the 
former. 

Most  of  these  low  lands  are  covered  with  timber, 
valuable  for  purposes  of  building  and  fencing.  Of 
this  timber,  white  pine,  cedar,  red  ash  and  oak,  are 
the  most  valuable.  The  soil  is  chiefly  interval  near 
the  streams,  while  a  black  muck,  on  a  clay  subsoil, 
varying  in  depth  from  about  four  inches  to  seven  or 
eight  feet,  is  found  in  the  swamp.  On  trial,  this 
muck  has  been  proved  to  make  good  fuel,  and  would, 
undoubtedly,  be  a  fair  substitute  for  wood  or  coal. 

About  half  of  the  town  is  composed  of  mountainous 
and  swampy  land  ;  the  latter,  so  far  as  they  have  been 
drained  and  thoroughly  cultivated,  are  found  to  be 
more  valuable  for  grazing  and  for  some  purposes  of 
tilling  than  any  other.  Most  of  these  lands  yet  re- 
main in  a  wild  and  uncultivated  state. 

All  the  land  in  the  middle  and  western  part  of  the 
town  is  well  adapted  to  the  growth  of  grass,  and  con- 
sequently admirably  fltted  for  the  profitable  raising 
of  cattle  and  sheep.  The  ridge  lands  are  nearly 
equally  divided  into  clay  and  loam.  The  loam  is 
6 


70  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

usually  stony,  and  was  formerly  covered  chiefly  with 
hard  timber,  interspersed  with  pine  and  oak,  while 
the  clay  is  most  always  free  from  stones,  and  was 
originally  covered  with  hemlock  and  pine,  inter- 
spersed occasionally  with  oak,  beech,  maple,  bass- 
wood  and  other  kinds  of  trees. 

The  loam  land  was  most  productive  of  wheat  when 
the  land  was  first  cleared.  Forty  bushels  was  con- 
sidered a  good  crop,  while  at  the  same  time,  a  yield 
of  thirty  bushels  on  clay  was  all  that  could  be  ex- 
pected, though  it  is  believed  that  the  average  crops 
of  wheat,  previous  to  1800,  did  not  exceed  from 
twenty  to  twenty-five  bushels  to  the  acre.  Holland 
"Weeks  raised,  in  1Y91,  seven  hundred  bushels  of 
wheat  from  a  little  less  than  thirty  acres  of  new  land, 
and  though  one  acre  of  it  was  known  to  yield  over 
forty-three  bushels,  yet  the  average  was  only  about 
twenty-three  bushels  to  the  acre.  John  Mumlo  made 
distilled  liquors  from  grain  in  the  southerly  part  of 
Middlebury  this  year,  and  paid  fifty  cents  per  bushel 
for  wheat.  Fifty  bushels  of  corn  from  an  acre  was 
called  a  great  yield  in  1805,  as  was  also  fifty  bushels 
of  oats,  and  four  hundred  bushels  of  potatoes  per  acre, 
though  it  is  believed  that  an  average  crop  through 
town  would  amount  to  but  Itttle  over  half  this  quan- 
tity. The  following  table  shows  the  principal  va- 
rieties of  timber  found  in  this  town  when  it  was  first 
settled. 


HISTOKY    OF    SALISBURY. 


71 


White  pine,  White  elm, 

Pitch  pine,  Red  elm, 

Norway  pine,  Red  ash, 

Black  cherry,  White  ash, 

Red  or  pigeon  cherry.  Mongrel  ash. 

White  oak.  Mountain  ash, 

Red  oak.  Red  cedar. 

Over  cup  oak.  White  cedar. 

Black  oak,  Ironwood, 

Blue  oak,  Hackmatack, 

Yellow  oak.  Poplar, 

Basswood,  Sweet  walnut, 

Small  white  beech.  Bitter  walnut. 

Large  white  beoch.  Butternut, 

Red  beech.  Balsam  fir. 

Blue  beech,  Pepperidge, 

Black  birch.  Sugar  maple. 

Cherry  birch,  White  maple, 

White  birch.  Moose  maple. 
Yellow  birch. 

To  this  list  list  might  be  added  the  names  of  some 
other  trees,  which  are  valuable  for  certain  purposes, 
and  which  will  be  noticed  hereafter. 

Norway  pines  were  found  near  the  base  of  the 
mountains  in  considerable  numbers ;  and  that  was 
their  only  locality.  But  the  demand  from  abroad  has 
been  so  great  for  this  timber  that  but  little  of  it  now 
is  to  be  found. 

Sweet  walnut  was  known  by  most  of  the  early  set- 


T2  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

tiers  only  by  the  bark  of  the  trees  lying  on  the  ground 
in  the  woods,  while  the  timber  had  gone  to  decay  and 
disappeared.  These  relics  of  bark  showed  that  this 
timber,  at  some  period  not  very  remote,  had  grown 
here  in  great  abundance.  As  late  as  the  year  1800, 
a  few  of  these  trees  miglit  have  been  seen  in  the  wes- 
tern part  of  the  town.  Some  of  them  were  of  im- 
mense size,  and  grew  up  like  the  stately  oak.  They 
were  afterward  cut  and  split  into  rails  to  fence  the 
land  on  which  they  stood.  They  evidently  had  es- 
caped the  pestilence  which  had  caused  the  universal 
overthrow  of  this  valuable  timber.  The  second 
growth  of  the  walnut  is  more  valuable  than  the  first. 
It  is  within  the  memory  of  many  now  living,  when 
this  timber  first  made  its  appearance  in  its  second 
spontaneous  growth.  It  appeared  on  the  land  which 
had  been  cleared,  as  it  also  did  in  the  forests. 

Black  cherry  was  also  found  by  the  settlers  in  con- 
siderable quantities,  and  answered  valuable  purposes 
in  the  construction  of  household  furniture.  Butternut 
is  now  taking  the  place  of  black  cherry  to  a  conside- 
rable extent,  as  the  former  has  mostly  disappeared. 

Maple  is  valuable  for  its  timber,  as  well  as  for  its 
sap,  which  is  made  into  sugar,  and  has  always  done 
its  part  in  contributing  to  the  convenience  and  luxury 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town. 

Maple  sugar  has  always  been  made  in  greater  or 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY.  73 

less  quantities  in  this  town,  and  at  one  time  formed 
one  of  its  principle  articles  of  export  to  the  various 
markets  of  the  older  states,  and  to  Montreal ;  but  the 
axe  and  fire  have  done  much  in  the  destruction  of  the 
maple  tree.  Moreover,  the  forest  worm,  the  diamond- 
backed  caterpillar  (which  first  made  its  appearance  in 
town  about  the  year  1826),  destroyed  so  many  of  these 
trees,  that  many  sugar- works  were  completely  ruined  ; 
80  that  very  little  sugar  was  made  for  many  years 
afterward.  The  second  growth  of  the  maple  tree  in- 
dicates, at  present,  a  return  of  sugar-making,  at  least 
to  some  extent. 

Salts  and  potash  made  from  the  ashes  of  log-heaps 
burnt  in  clearing  the  land,  were  at  one  time  a  source 
of  some  profit,  as  those  articles  were  sold  for  exporta- 
tion to  cities,  and  even  to  foreign  countries.  But  as 
the  country  became  cleared,  and  timber  became  more 
valuable,  the  yearly  product  of  ashes  grew  rapidly 
less,  and  now  very  few  engage  in  this  speculation. 

Wheat  was  formerly  raised  in  great  quantities  in 
Salisbury,  and  was  a  crop  of  a  good  deal  of  profit  to 
the  inhabitants.  The  first  crops  taken  from  the  land 
were  far  superior  in  quantity,  and  of  better  quality 
than  those  of  subsequent  years ;  and  although  the 
annual  quantity  of  wheat  became  so  reduced  in  the 
course  of  thirty  years  from  the  first  settlement  of  the 
town  that  it  was  insufiicient  to  sustain  all  the  inhabi- 

6* 


74  HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY. 

tants,  yet  the  crop  was  generally  considered  a  fair  re- 
muneration for  the  farmer's  time  and  expense  in  rais- 
ing it. 

About  this  time  (1827),  the  midge,  an  insect  improp- 
erly called  weevil),  made  its  appearance,  and  de- 
stroyed so  much  of  the  wheat  that  its  culture  was  in 
a  great  measure  abandoned  for  many  years.  This  in- 
sect appears  to  be  a  successor  to  the  Hessian  fly, 
which  appeared  about  the  year  1801,  and  did  great 
injury  some  subsequent  seasons  by  attacking  the 
wheat-stalk  near  its  root.  Since  the  njidge  made  its 
appearance,  the  Hessian  fly  has  seldom  been  seen. 
The  weevil  is  found  underneath  the  innermost  integu- 
ment of  the  seed  or  kernel,  the  egg  from  which  it  is 
hatched  being  deposited  there  through  an  incision 
made  in  the  outer  covering  of  the  kernel  when  in  a 
milky  or  tender  state ;  so  that  when  the  egg  assumes 
the  larva  form,  it  subsists  on  the  nutriment  intended  to 
fertilize  and  mature  the  kernel,  and  thus  lives  and 
thrives  at  the  expense  of  the  grain.  This  insect,  like 
the  diamond-backed  caterpillar,  is  so  periodical  in  its 
visits  that  its  attacks  can  in  a  measure  be  avoided  by 
the  farmer ;  and  this  has  been  done  to  such  an  extent 
that  nearly  a  sufiicient  quantity  of  this  grain  has  been 
raised  in  town,  since  the  year  1840,  to  meet  the  con- 
sumption of  its  inhabitants. 

Rye  has  never  been  raised  to  any  great  extent  in 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  75 

the  middle  and  western  parts  of  tlie  town,  though  in 
the  eastern  parts,  near  the  mountains,  it  has  been 
raised  in  considerable  quantities,  and  of  the  best 
quality. 

Indian  corn,  or  maize,  has  always  been  considered 
one  of  the  most  important  and  useful  crops,  both  for 
making  bread  and  feeding  stock,  though  but  little  has 
here  been  raised  for  foreign  markets. 

Oats  were  not  extensively  grown  by  the  first  set- 
tlers, though  the  culture  of  them  has  been  found  quite 
profitable  in  later  years. 

Flax  was  cultivated  with  great  care  in  the  early 
years  of  the  town,  for  it  was  then  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant crops.  It  was  this  crop  that  sustained  the 
busy  work  of  the  distafi^,  wheel  and  loom — "those 
ancient  exponents  of  domestic  prosperity." 

Field  beans  have  been  cultivated  from  the  earliest 
settlement,  in  quantities  just  about  sufficient  for  the 
consumption  of  people,  all  of  whom  use  them  more 
or  less  as  an  article  of  food. 

The  cultivation  of  field  peas  was  also  encouraged 
by  the  early  settlers,  both  as  a  food  for  the  table,  and 
for  the  purpose  of  feeding  stock ;  but  their  cultivation 
was  interrupted  about  the  year  1804,  by  the  appear- 
ance of  insects  of  the  bug  tribe,  which  eat  out  quite 
a  large  portion  of  the  best  part  of  the  pea.  This,  of 
course,  detracted  from  the  profits  of  the  crop,  at  the 


76 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 


same  time,  that  the  presence  of  these  animals  in  tlie 
soup  dish  was  decidedly  unpleasant  to  the  taste. 

These  insects  propagate  their  species  by  making  an 
incision  through  the  pod  into  the  pea,  and  depositing 
therein  an  egg,  while  the  pea  is  yet  young  and  tender. 
This  egg  soon  assumes  the  chrysalis  state,  which  it 
retains  for  a  long  time,  and  transforms  to  the  perfect 
winged  insect,  early  in  the  following  spring,  just  in 
time  to  commit  their  devastations  on  the  early-sowed 
peas  of  that  year.  From  the  time  of  the  appearance 
of  this  insect,  pea-culture  began  to  decline,  and  con- 
tinued to  decline  until  it  was  found  that  late  sowing 
brought  on  the  young  pea  at  a  period  too  late  for  the 
enemy  to  do  its  injurious  work.  Then  the  cultivation 
of  the  pea  revived  again,  which  was  about  the  year 
1818. 

Buckwheat,  though  a  crop  of  secondary  importance, 
was  raised  in  this  town  as  early  as  the  year  1804; 
perhaps  earlier.  It  is  a  peculiarity  of  this  grain,  that 
it  can  be  raised  on  ground  not  very  rich.  Its  flour  is 
esteemed  by  many  as  an  article  of  food.  It  is  oftenest 
made  into  griddle-cakes — which  are  perhaps  best 
known  in  I^ew  England,  or  at  any  rate  in  Salisbury, 
by  the  peculiar  and  funny  soubriquet  of  slap-jacks. 
The  blossoms  of  this  grain  yield  a  good  supply  of 
honey,  though  of  an  inferior  quality,  so  that  it  is  of 
use  to  the  apiarian,  as  well  as  to  the  farmer  and  epi- 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBIJKY.  77 

cure;  and,  more,  it  blossoms  at  a  time  when  most 
other  plants  have  passed  their  bloom.  It  has  never 
been  raised  in  this  town  for  a  foreign  sale.  Other 
grains  might  be  mentioned,  for  instance,  barley  and 
hemp,  and  also  that  plant  of  more  subtle  and  danger- 
ous use,  tobacco ;  but  as  none  of  them  were  of  any 
great  success,  we  will  pass  them  over  in  silence. 

As  it  regards  vegetables ;  as  a  field  crop,  potatoes 
have  always  taken  the  lead,  and  have  been  deemed 
of  the  highest  importance  as  an  article  of  food  for 
both  man  and  beast.  Ever  since  the  year  1844,  the 
potato  crop  has  suffered  every  year,  to  a  greater  or 
less  extent,  from  the  disease  called  the  potato  rot. 
All  the  skill  of  the  farmer,  in  preventives,  has  thus 
far,  in  a  great  measure,  been  unsuccessful,  and  this 
monster  disease  still  moves  on  without  much  molesta- 
tion. ISTot  only  the  farmers  but  the  men  of  science 
have  united  their  talents  in  the  cause  of  the  potato, 
and  are  now  directing  their  energies  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  this  most  valuable  of  all  vegetables.  Losses 
from  this  disease  were  greater  during  the  first  years 
of  its  existence  here  than  in  the  few  years  past,  still 
the  potato  fields  of  every  autumn  reveal  hundreds  of 
bushels  of  these  vegetables  not  worth  the  gathering. 
Should  all  human  means  fail,  let  us  hope  that  a  kind 
Providence  will  save  for  us  this  blessing,  or  raise  up 
a  substitute  which  will  fill  its  place. 


78  HISTORY    OF    SALISBUKY. 

Turnips  of  all  kinds,  as  well  as  beets  and  caiTOts, 
have  always  had  a  limited  share  of  the  attention  of 
our  inhabitants.  These  vegetables  are  very  easily 
cultivated,  and  made  to  yield  abundantly,  yet  their 
true  value  seems  not  to  be  fully  appreciated ;  this  is 
probably  owing  to  the  fact  that  hay  is  so  easily  ob- 
tained, and  can  be  fed  out  to  stock  with  so  much  less 
trouble.  Hay,  as  it  stands  in  stacks  in  the  fields  and 
in  the  barns,  can  usually  be  bought  for  about  five  or 
six  dollars  per  ton,  and  a  good  supply  of  this  will 
keep  most  all  kinds  of  stock  in  a  thriving  condition 
during  winter ;  and,  as  comparatively  few  sales  of  fat 
cattle  have  hitherto  been  made  for  market  in  the 
winter,  vegetables  for  the  purpose  of  feeding  have  not 
been  in  great  demand.  But  undoubtedly  the  day  is 
not  far  distant  when  all  the  root  crops  will  be  better 
understood,  and  we  shall  see  our  farmers  turning  their 
attention  to  the  cultivation  of  them,  to  fat  cattle  for 
Boston  market ;  for  on  the  one  hand  beef  is  higher  in 
price  in  the  winter  than  in  other  parts  of  the  year, 
and  on  the  other,  the  farmer  can  well  aiford  the  time 
to  prepare  his  roots  and  feed  them.  Moreover,  rail- 
road facilities  are  such,  at  the  present  time,  that  fat 
cattle  can  be  taken  to  market  in  a  few  hours  ride, 
thus  avoiding  that  shrinkage  and  other  loss  conse- 
quent upon  driving  them  two  liundred  miles. 

Garden  products  generally,  and  most  of  the  useful 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  Y9 

plants  raised  in  I^ew  England,  can  be  cultivated  with 
great  success  in  this  town.  The  writer  is  not  aware 
of  any  exceptions  to  this,  though  there  may  be  and 
undoubtedly  are  many  different  kinds  cultivated  in 
other  places  which  have  not,  here,  been  tried.  The 
difficulty  of  finding  a  market  for  the  surplusage  has 
hitherto  prevented  much  if  any  more  outlay  in  horti- 
culture than  has  been  needed  in  home  use.  Even  the 
mechanics  and  other  citizens  of  our  villages  usually 
raise  their  own  garden  sauce.  Among  our  towns- 
people we  find  gardens,  generally  containing  the  fol- 
lowing vegetables,  viz.,  onions,  beets,  carrots,  cucum- 
bers, lettuce,  a  few  early  potatoes,  beans,  and  perhaps 
a  few  hills  of  early  corn  and  cabbages.  In  some  in- 
stances we  see  added  to  these,  peas,  peppers,  parsnips, 
squashes  and  melons,  also  radishes  and  early  turnips, 
together  with  some  medicinal  and  aromatic  plants, 
while  at  the  same  time  some  farmers  depend  wholly 
on  their  fields  for.  all  they  have  that  can  be  called 
garden  sauce,  and  do  not  set  apart,  nor  fence  in,  any 
portion  of  their  farms  for  garden  purposes. 

There  are  many  varieties  of  soil  used  for  gardens 
which  vary  in  their  capacities  for  producing  the  dif- 
ferent varieties  of  plants,  as  well  as  shrubs  and  fruit 
trees.  Fruit  trees  and  horticultural  plants  generally 
do  not  flourish  for  any  great  length  of  time  where  the 
Bubsoil  lies  very  near  the  surface,  especially  if  that 


80  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

subsoil  is  clay,  sand  or  hard  pan.  A  deep  gravelly 
loam  is  our  best  land  for  the  purpose  of  gardens,  as  is 
most  strikingly  exemplified  all  through  the  town. 

The  dairy  and  raising  neat  stock  have  probably 
been  the  greatest  sources  of  wealth  to  the  farmers  of 
Salisbury.  The  early  settlers  kept  a  few  horses ;  and 
a  few  sheep  were,  of  course,  necessary  to  furnish  the 
wool  wherewith  to  make  the  "  homespun  clothes." 

Tlie  business  of  the  dairy  was  zealously  prosecu- 
ted, and  increased  from  year  to  year  as  the  settle- 
ment advanced,  and  as  hay  and  pasture  became  more 
plenty,  until  tlie  speculation  in  merino  sheep  com- 
menced, which  was  not  far  from  the  year  1825.  "With 
the  increasing  interest  for  sheep  and  wool,  that  for 
cows  and  neat  stock  grew  less,  until  the  dairy  was  al- 
most entirely  lost  sight  of,  and  butter  and  cheese  no 
longer  a  staple  article  of  export  to  any  of  the  markets 
— though  it  has  always  been  thought,  by  many  of  our 
farmers,  that  the  dairy  business,  if  well  conducted  on 
many  of  the  farms  in  town,  would  be  more  profitable 
than  any  other. 

The  first  sheep  kept  in  this  town  was  a  small  flock 
purchased  in  Massachusetts,  by  Col.  Thomas  Sawyer, 
in  the  summer  of  1786  ;  and  the  first  improvement  of 
much  importance  in  sheep  and  wool  was  made  by  in- 
troducing the  merino  sheep,  in  the  year  1809  or  1810. 
William  Lampson,  of  New  Haven,  took  the  lead  in 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  81 

this  movement.  He  purchased  a  buck  which  had  re- 
cently been  shipped  from  Spain,  at  a  great  price  (un- 
derstood to  be  $1300),  and  allowed  the  farmers  to  drive 
their  ewes  to  him,  giving,  as  compensation,  one-half 
of  the  increase.  Though  this  resulted  in  a  great  im- 
provement in  sheep,  and  one  of  the  highest  import- 
ance to  the  wool-grower,  the  remuneration  coming 
to  Mr.  Lampson  was  so  slow,  and  the  encouragement 
which  he  at  first  received  so  little,  that  in  the  under- 
taking his  own  purse  was  nearly  drained  to  the  bot- 
tom. 

We  much  regret  that  we  are  unable  to  find  any 
statistics  by  w^hich  a  comparative  account  could  be 
given  of  the  stock,  and  of  the  various  agricultural 
products  of  the  town  from  year  to  year ;  indeed,  we 
should  be  content  if  it  could  be  given  once  in  ten 
years  from  the  settlement  of  the  town.  All  the  avail- 
able statistics  we  have,  are  taken  from  the  United 
States  census  of  1840  and  1850,  as  follows : 


Horses. 

Cows. 

Oxen. 

other 

Sheep. 

Hogs. 

Bush. 

Bush. 

Bush. 

Bush. 

A.  D. 

1840. 

Cattle. 

Wh't. 

Eye. 

Corn. 

Oata. 

164 

740 

5200 

490 

1460 

800 

5060 

6800 

A.  D. 

1850. 

136 

255 

96 

228 

*29T1 

*177 

1962 

1272 

5940 

4417 

Bush. 

•Peas  & 

Pota- 

Wool. 

Orch'd. 

Tons 

lbs. 

lbs. 

lbs. 

Popu- 

B'kwh't Beans. 

toes. 

Hay. 

But'r. 

Cheese. 

SugT. 

lation. 

A.  D. 

1840. 

150 

20240 

* 15900 

2150 

5600 

94J 

A.D. 

1850. 

214 

400 

8551 

* 13062 

81166 

2907 

7735 

5900 

6687 

1027 

*  Correctness  doubted.! 

82  HISTORY    OF   SALISBUKV. 

The  subject  of  agricultural  implements  is  closely 
connected  with  that  of  agricultural  products,  but 
these  implements  have  been  so  numerous,  and  the 
changes  and  improvements  in  them  so  frequent,  that 
to  give  an  account  of  all  would  be  a  useless  task. 
Mention  will  be  made  of  only  a  few  of  the  more 
important  ones. 

The  plow,  commonly  called  the  "Colter  plow," 
gave  place  to  the  iron  share  and  bolt,  about  the  year 
1800.  This  latter  plow  was  made  of  wrought  iron, 
with  steel  points  and  edges,  and  was  a  great  improve- 
ment upon  the  former. 

This,  in  time,  was  superseded  by  the  cast  iron  plow, 
which  was  introduced  about  the  year  1823,  but  which 
came  into  use  rather  slowly.  Since  that  time  there 
has  been  a  constant  improvement  in  plows ;  nearly 
every  year  bringing  forth  a  new  one,  differing  a  little 
from  any  of  those  preceding. 

The  horse-rake,  an  implement  of  great  importance 
in  saving  hand  labor,  was  used  by  a  few,  though  with- 
out much  success,  for  a  number  of  years ;  finally  the 
improvements  made  about  the  year  1840  brought  it 
into  very  general  use. 

The  cultivator,  an  implement  principally  used  be- 
tween rows  of  corn  or  potatoes,  instead  of  the  plow, 
was  introduced  in  1839,  and  Geddes's  harrow  in  1844. 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  83 

Other  agricultural  implements  might  be  noticed, 
for  instance,  the  mowing  machine,  the  corn  planter, 
the  hay  presser,  the  drag  rake,  the  straw  cutter,  the 
thrashing  machine,  and  many  others  of  recent  date, 
of  which  the  scope  of  this  history  will  not  allow  us  to 
make  mention.* 

*  In  the  year  1856,  through  the  influence  of  John  J.  Kelsey, 
Oliver  Hyde,  Ebenezer  Weeks  and  others,  an  agricultural  so- 
ciety, taking  the  name  of  Lake  Dunmore,  was  organized. 
This  society  has  held  three  annual  fairs,  one  on  each  year  since 
its  organization ;  on  which  occasions  are  made  exhibitions  of 
stock,  agricultural  produce  and  implements,  and  articles  of 
household  manufacture,  of  no  inferior  kind.  Each  succeeding 
fair  has  been  a  decided  improvement  on  its  predecessor,  both 
in  the  numbers  in  attendance  and  in  the  various  display  of  the 
products  of  the  town.  These  occasions  have  been  attended 
with  a  formal  address  and  occasional  speeches,  and  with  all 
the  accompaniments  of  music,  processions  and  shows,  calcu- 
lated to  produce  enthusiasm  and  eclat.  During  the  winter 
months,  under  the  auspices  of  this  society,  the  town  has  also 
been  favored  occasionally  with  lectures  by  men  from  abroad. 


84  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 


CHAPTEK  IX. 

FRUIT,    SPONTANEOUS   AND     CULTIVATED. 

The  early  settlers  gave  but  little  attention  to  the 
cultivation  of  small  fruits,  such  as  are  usually  raised 
in  our  gardens.  A  few  set  out  currant  bushes,  or  left 
an  occasional  indigenous  plum  tree  to  stand  nncared 
for  in  some  remote  corner  of  their  garden. 

About  the  year  1810,  Moses  Sheldon  brought  one 
or  two  varieties  of  strawberries  into  town,  from  Salis- 
bury, Connecticut ;  and  it  may  be  added,  these  straw- 
berries were  far  superior  to  many  varieties  introduced 
since  that  time. 

Since  gypsum,  or  plaster  of  Paris,  has  been  freely 
used  on  our  lands,  the  Sheldon  strawberry  has  gone 
out  of  date,  and  that  which  is  native  here  has  become 
80  abundant  in  our  fields,  producing  fruit  of  so  excel- 
lent a  quality,  and  in  quantity  so  generous,  that  the 
cultivated  varieties  are  mostly  neglected  or  confined 
to  villages  where  the  field  strawberry  is  not  so  easily 
obtained.  Some  native  fruits  are  cultivated  in  our 
fruit  yards  and  gardens,  to  good  advantage,  among 
which  the  high  bush  cranberry  is  worthy  of  notice. 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  86 

This  shrub  or  bush  is  found  in  all  our  swamps,  and 
when  transferred  to  the  garden,  flourishes  in  a  remark- 
able manner.  It  is  a  constant  and  abundant  bearer 
of  one  of  the  most  delicious  acid  fruits  (used  princi- 
pally in  making  sweetmeats,)  to  be  found  in  any 
country,  and  when  properly  prepared,  it  makes  one 
of  the  most  refreshing  and  healthful  drinks  for  the  in- 
valid. A  single  stalk  of  this  shrub  has  been  known, 
within  a  few  years  from  the  time  it  was  planted,  to 
furnish  fruit  sufficient  for  a  large  family. 

The  blackberry,  several  varieties  of  gooseberry  and 
raspberry,  and  also  the  low  cranberry,  found  in 
marshes,  contributed  to  the  scanty  luxuries  of  the 
early  settlers.  All  these  fruits  are  indigenous,  and 
are  all  susceptible  of  a  high  cultivation,  unless  it  be 
the  low  cranberry,  on  which  no  experiments  have 
here  been  made. 

At  the  time  intoxicating  liquors  were  drank  as  a 
beverage,  the  fruit  of  the  black  cherry  was  in  high 
repute,  to  give  flavor  to  the  cheap  though  pure  rum 
of  those  days.  This  cherry-rum  was  thought,  by  the 
settlers,  to  be  both  a  healthful  and  delicious  drink; 
and,  unnecessary  as  perhaps  it  was  even  in  those  days, 
it  must  be  admitted  that  they  made  a  more  sensible 
use  of  it  than  do  or  can  the  people  of  the  present  day 
with  their  poisonous  adulterations.  These  cherries 
became  of  such  demand  that  they  assumed  a  market- 


86  HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY. 

able  price ;  and  many  boys  did  quite,  a  profitable 
business  in  gathering  them  (and  often  a  single  tree 
would  bear  six  or  eight  bushels),  and  selling  them  in 
our  villages  at  the  rate  of  one  dollar  per  bushel. 

Whortleberries  are  found  in  great  abundance  on 
the  hills  and  mountains  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
town.  The  inhabitants  usually  gather  a  large  supply 
of  these  berries  in  their  appropriate  season.  It  is 
said  that,  in  the  most  plentiful  seasons,  several  hun- 
dred bushels  of  this  fruit  are  here  gathered,  and  sold 
in  adjoining  towns  and  villages. 

The  settlers  made  great  account  of  drying  all  these 
fruits,  to  be  used  in  making  puddings,  pies,  and  other 
desserts,  for  by  these  was  supplied  the  place  of  ap- 
ples and  other  cultivated  fruits,  which  as  yet  had  no 
existence  here. 

To  record  so  many  little  things  may  seem,  to  some, 
as  noticing  what  is  unworthy  of  historical  account; 
but  when  it  is  considered  that  our  parents  and  grand- 
parents were  deprived  of  almost  every  comfort  which 
belongs  to  an  old  and  cultivated  country,  all  of  which 
they  had  given  up  for  the  privations  of  a  wilderness, 
it  is  seen  that  a  record  of  those  privations  and  strug- 
gles, is  in  fact  their  early  history,  and  that  nothing 
within  our  knowledge,  however  small,  should  be  omit- 
ted, which  may  contribute  to  perpetuate  the  remem- 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBTJEY.  87 

brance  of  those  days  in  which  were  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  our  present  prosperity  and  happiness. 

Frost  grapes  were  eagerly  sought  as  a  great  luxury, 
and  were  also  used  as  a  condiment  in  pickles,  a  few 
bunches  of  which  would  diffuse  a  pleasant  flavor 
through  the  whole  contents  of  the  pickle- tub.  These 
grapes  were  found,  for  the  most  part,  on  the  interval 
lands,  as  were  also  native  hops,  which  were  nsed  in 
making  beer,  and  sometimes  substituted  for  feathers, 
in  making  beds. 

Nuts,  too,  were  things  of  no  little  importance  to 
the  early  settlers,  and  helped  to  beguile  and  relieve 
many  a  long  winter  evening.  Prominent  among  them 
were  the  butternut,  hazelnut,  and  sweet  acorn.  As 
already  stated,  the  walnut  was  not  found  in  the  earli- 
est days  of  the  town,  and  did  not  make  its  appearance 
until  the  second  growth  of  the  walnut  timber — which 
began  to  bear  in  small  quantities  about  the  year  1805. 

Beechnuts  w^ere  of  great  use  in  feeding  store-hogs. 
It  was  not  uncommon  to  turn  store-hogs,  about  the 
middle  of  October  or  first  of  November,  into  the 
woods,  w^here  they  remained,  without  care,  until  April 
or  May  .of  the  following  year,  when  they  were  driven 
home,  generally  in  good  condition.  These  hogs,  du- 
ring a  long  winter,  found  a  good  living  in  the  abun- 
dant supply  of  beechnuts  which  they  rooted  up  from 
among  the  leaves,  under  the  snow. 


88  HISTORY    OF    6ALISBIJRT. 

The  flesh  of  hogs,  or  of  any  other  animal,  when 
fattened  on  beechnuts,  is  not  palatable,  though  that 
peculiar,  unpleasant,  oily  taste  imparted  to  the  meat 
by  the  beechnut,  may  be  wholly  eradicated  by  a  few 
weeks'  feeding  on  vegetables  and  grain. 

In  later  years,  when  the  land  became  cleared,  and 
the  beech  and  other  nut-bearing  trees  had  disappeared, 
this  manner  of  wintering  hogs  went  out  of  date. 
Moreover,  the  climate  appeared  to  undergo  a  great 
change,  within  the  space  of  a  few  years,  just  before 
and  after  the  beginning  of  the  present  century. 
Many  of  the  early  settlers  have  been  heard  to  say, 
that  in  many  seasons  water  did  not  drop  from  the 
northern  roof  of  buildings  for  ninety  days  in  succes- 
sion— a  fact  which  cannot  be  said  of  the  winters  of 
recent  years.  And  it  is  within  the  memory  of  the 
writer,  that  during  the  winter  of  1793  and  1794,  and 
during  the  winters  of  several  years  succeeding  that 
date,  from  November  to  April  the  ground  was  cov- 
ered with  snow,  there  not  having  been  a  sufficient 
thaw  to  destroy  the  sleighing. 

This  change  of  climate,  and  the  sudden  changes  of 
weather  which  appeared  to  accompany  it,  had  a  dis- 
astrous effect  on  all  nut-bearing  trees,  and  very  little 
dependence  has  been  placed  on  these  trees  as  a  source 
of  profit,  for  many  years. 

Shad-plums  and  pigeon-cherries  were  considered  a 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  89 

fine  treat  by  the  boys,  and  even  the  thorn-plum  and 
choke-cherry  were  not  rejected  by  any  until  after  the 
cultivated  fruit  trees  had  commenced  to  bear. 

All  the  native  plants  of  the  town  of  Middlebury 
have  been  carefully  collected  and  reported  by  Edwin 
James,  M.  D.,  and  published  in  Thompson's  Gazetteer 
of  Vermont,  l^ow  as  Salisbury  and  Middlebury  are 
bordered  by,  or  are  near  the  same  streams  of  water,  and 
bounded  on  one  side  by  the  same  range  of  mountains, 
and  are  composed  of  lands  very  similar  in  character, 
it  is  believed  the  native  plants  are  the  same  in  both 
towns ;  wherefore  we  would  refer  those  curious  in  the 
Flora  of  Salisbury  to  tliis  Gazetteer.  Moreover,  a 
thorough  investigation  of  the  plants  of  Salisbury  was 
not  contemplated  in  the  scope  of  this  history,  and 
would  not  be  given,  were  the  author  able  to  do  so. 

The  settlers  of  this  town  being  mostly  emigrants 
from  Connecticut,  where  fruit  was  raised  in  great 
abundance,  naturally  felt  the  want  of  it  on  arriving 
here,  and  accordingly  we  find  them  at  an  early  day 
planting  seed  of  the  apple,  pear,  peach,  quince  and 
other  fruits.  Many  planted  their  nurseries  the  year 
previous  'to  moving  their  families  into  the  country ; 
for  the  men  usually  came  on  and  spied  out  their  land, 
sowed  a  few  acres  of  wheat,  and  made  other  arrange- 
ments for  living,  previous  to  moving  their  families. 
On  trying  the  experiment,  it  was  soon  found  that  tlie 


90  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

climate,  or  land,  or  both,  were  unfavorable  to  the 
peach  and  quince,  and  under  no  circumstances  could 
these  trees  be  made  to  flourish ;  but  apples  and  pears 
were  cultivated  with  great  success,  the  latter  being 
justly  considered  of  secondary  importance. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
when  the  town  was  rapidly  filling  up  with  people 
from  the  older  states,  some  of  the  settlers  made  hand- 
some profits  from  the  sale  of  apples,  and  a  few  years 
later  from  the  sale  of  cider.  The  price  of  cider  in 
1803  was  five  dollars  per  barrel.  In  1806  or  1807,  it 
could  be  bought  for  three  dollars  per  barrel,  though 
at  that  time  it  had  become  a  custom  to  dilute  it  a 
little  by  watering  the  pomace  as  it  was  laid  up  for 
pressing,  in  what  is  called  a  cheese.  But  the  rapid 
increase  of  apples  reduced  the  price  of  cider  in  1808 
or  1809  to  one  dollar  per  barrel,  and  the  practice  of 
watering  the  pomace  was  lost  sight  of  about  1810. 

Jesse  Graves  made  the  first  cider  in  this  town  in 
1803.  Asa  Lawrence  built  a  cider  mill  about  the 
year  1808,  and  Holland  Weeks  built  another  in  1810. 
At  this  time  more  cider  was  made  than  was  consumed 
in  the  form  of  drink,  and  a  distillery  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  cider  brandy  was  put  in  operation  in  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  town,  in  1811,  by  Noah  Hubbard. 
This  establishment  soon  passed  into  other  hands,  and 
continued  in  operation,  with  its  baneful  effects  (un- 


IIISTOliY    OF   SAJLISBURY.  91 

perceived,  perhaps,  by  its  owners),  until  its  proprie- 
tors had  nearly  become  bankrupts,  and  many  of  the 
young  men  in  the  neighborhood  j,had  laid  in  them- 
selves the  foundation  of  infamy  and  disgrace.  About 
the  year  1826  or  1827,  this  distillery  was  burnt  dowu, 
though  it  was  re-built  soon  after  on  a  small  scale,  and 
continued  in  operation  a  short  time,  when  its  proprie- 
tors sold  out  their  entire  property  in  the  place,  and 
left  the  town.  It  is  believed  no  alcoholic  liquors 
have  been  manufactured  here  since  about  1835. 

As  the  temperance  reform  had  commenced  in  this 
town  about  1833,  many  farmers  concluded  they  had 
more  apple  trees  than  were  needful ;  and  the  axe  was 
freely  used  in  the  destruction  of  many  of  the  trees 
that  were  not  of  the  best  quality  of  fruit  for  eating. 
This  waste  of  fruit  trees  was  soon  found  (though  in 
many  instances  too  late,)  to  be  a  great  mistake,  as 
subsequent  experiment  has  proved  that  apples  are  of 
great  value  to  feed  to  stock.  Moreover,  the  apple 
trees,  about  this  time,  began  to  indicate  a  much 
shorter  life  than  had  been  previously  supposed.  It  is 
now  found  that  the  apple  tree  is  a  short-lived  tree  in 
most  localities.  A  deep  gravel  or  stony  loam  is  the 
only  soil  that  will  warrant  health  and  long  life  to  any 
of  our  fruit  trees,  when  left  to  take  care  of  themselves, 
as  has  been  generally  the  case  in  this  town  hereto- 
fore.    A  rich  sandy  loam  produces  an  early  growth. 


92  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

but  a  short  life,  in  fruit  trees.  Trees  of  spontaneous 
growth  choose  their  own  localities,  and  some  trees  of 
this  character  which  bear  fruit,  and  especially  the  nut 
bearing  trees,  flourish  and  become  very  productive  on 
interval  lands,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  case  of  the  but- 
ternut and  sweet  walnut,  which  latter  grows  in  abund- 
ance everywhere,  except  in  swamps  and  on  moun- 
tains. 

In  most  instances  the  settlers  set  out  their  apple 
orchards  on  the  best  of. their  tillage  land.  Tliis  is 
thought  by  many  to  be  a  mistake,  indicating  a  want 
of  judgment,  but  when  it  is  considered  that  these 
men  had  left  a  country  abounding  in  cultivated  fruit, 
for  one  that  had  none  at  all,  and  in  which  none  could 
be  obtained  until  after  the  care  and  labor  of  several 
years  bestowed  upon  their  trees,  it  is  not  surprising 
that  they  should  locate  their  orchards  on  land  which 
would  bring  forward  fruit  the  soonest,  and  on  lands 
near  at  hand,  when,  at  the  same  time  they  could  cul- 
tivate their  corn,  wheat,  potatoes  and  other  crops, 
they  could  also  hasten  forward  their  fruit. 

Since,  to  be  deprived  of  a  blessing  is  often  necessary 
to  enable  us  to  form  a  correct  judgment  of  its  real 
value,  the  present  generation  cannot  fully  appreciate 
the  blessing  of  fruit.  With  appetites  satiated  and 
surrounded  with  abundance,  we  look  back  with  a  dull 
interest  on  the  privations  of  our  fathers ;  but  the  time 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  93 

lias  been,  and  a  few  may  yet  be  living  who  remem- 
ber it,  when  apples  were  more  scarce  than  lumps  of 
California  gold  are  at  the  present  day. 

The  author  remembers  tlie  first  apple  which  grew 
on  Holland  Weeks'  farm  ;  it  was  in  1797  or  1798. 
The  tree  which  produced  this  one  apple  as  its  first 
crop,  was  from  seed  planted  in  1787.  This  apple, 
though  of  diminutive  size,  was  an  object  of  great  in- 
terest to  all  the  children,  and  was  equally  divided 
among  them,  the  parents  also  coming  in  for  a  share. 
All  the  inmates  of  the  family  having  had  a  taste,  the 
younger  ones,  who  had  had  no  opportunity  to  com- 
pare the  different  varieties  of  apples,  thought  this  to 
be  an  excellent  kind  ;  but  the  older  ones  pronounced 
it  bitter-sweet,  and  almost  good  for  nothing ;  so  it  was 
determined  that  the  tree  should  be  grafted  with  bet- 
ter fruit. 

Some  of  the  settlers  took  pains  to  graft  a  few  of 
their  trees  while  they  were  yet  small,  and  in  the  nur- 
sery ;  but  most  commenced  their  orchard  by  trans- 
ferring the  trees  directly  from  the  nursery,  without 
grafting,  grafts  being  afterward  set  in  those  trees 
which,  after  they  commenced  to  bear,  were  found  to 
produce  poor  fruit. 

Yery  few  of  the  early-grafted  fruits  are  known  by 
their  proper  names.  The  Durham  sweeting  and  the 
Koxbury  russet  are  the  only  two  certainly  known  to 


94  HISTORY   OF   eALISBURT. 

the  writer  to  be  correctly  named.  Other  good  apples 
were  grafted  at  that  time,  but  names  appear  to  have 
been  given  them,  in  most  cases,  without  care,  and 
were  usually  called  by  the  name  of  the  man  of  whom 
the  scion  was  obtained,  or  of  the  town  in  which  he 
lived. 

The  first  attempts  of  much  interest,  for  the  improve- 
ment of  fruit  in  town,  was  made  in  1809-10  and  11. 

Aaron  L.  Beach,  Gilbert  Everts,  and  Holland 
Weeks,  took  pains  to  procure  scions  from  a  great  dis- 
tance ;  which,  together  with  what  could  be  obtained 
from  neighboring  towns,  made  a  good  variety.  Among 
them  were  the  seek-no-further,  the  early-sweet,  spit- 
zenburg,  the  golden  sweeting,  beside  a  large  number 
of  others  improperly  named,  and  many  more  of  good 
quality  which  had  no  names  at  all.  This  effort  ap- 
peared to  have  some  influence  on  others,  for  many 
took  scions  from  these  and  grafted  other  trees.  But 
it  was  one  of  the  unfortunate  incidents  of  these  ef- 
foi;t8  to  improve  the  fruits,  that  all  the  unprincipled 
and  thieving  boys  and  young  men  for  miles  about, 
soon  learned  the  location  of  these  best  fruits,  and 
made  it  a  point  to  carry  off  quite  a  large  share  of 
them  every  season.  Mention  might  bo  made  of  one 
thrifty  tree,  whose  top  had  been  entirely  changed  by 
graftiug,  to  early  spitzenbergs,  and  which  was  a  boun- 
tii'ul  bearer,  but  of  which  none  of  the  fruit  was  known 


HISTORY   OF   BALI8BDRT.  95 

to  ripen  on  the  tree,  after  two  or  three  of  the  first 
years  of  its  bearing.  It  is  regretted,  but  in  truth  it 
must  be  said,  that  the  laudable  enterprize  of  growing 
good  fruit  to  any  great  extent,  met  with  great  dis- 
couragement, on  account  of  its  liability  to  be  stolen. 
And  it  was  a  further  discouragement,  that  the  best 
sales  that  could  be  made  in  our  villages  would  not 
result  in  remunerative  prices ;  and  at  that  time  there 
was  no  communication  by  which  the  city  markets 
could  be  made  available. 

About  the  year  1820,  the  orchards  in  this  town  ap- 
peared to  have  arrived  at  tlieir  most  flourishing  state. 

Soon  after  this,  many  of  the  apple  trees  began  to 
show  signs  of  decay,  though  at  that  time  it  was  supposed 
that  this  beginning  of  decline  arose  more  from  a  want 
of  skill  in  pruning,  or  perhaps  negligence  in  pruning 
at  all,  than  from  any  inherent  disease  in  the  trees 
themselves.  The  orchards,  in  most  localities  in  town, 
have  been  gradually  declining  ever  since  that  time, 
80  much  so,  that  on  making  careful  comparisons,  it  is 
found  that  some  farmers  who,  in  1820,  made  sixty  or 
seventy  barrels  of  cider,  now  make  scarcely  any  at  all, 
and  most  of  the  trees  are  so  decayed  that  it  is  difficult 
to  find  limbs  of  sufficient  thrift  to  warrant  setting 
grafts  in  them.  For  a  great  number  of  years  there 
has  been  but  little  interest  among  the  people  in  the 
matter  of  raising  good  apples,  though,  since  so  many 


96  HI8T0EY    OF    8AL1SBUKY. 

orchards  have  become  so  nearly  extinct,  an  occasional 
nursery  or  a  few  young  trees  may  be  seen  in  town. 

It  was  thought,  at  the  time  the  Rutland  and  Bur- 
lington railroad  was  built,  that  the  communication 
which  it  opened  with  Boston  markets  would  give  a 
new  energy  to  the  fruit  interests,  but  it  does  not  ap- 
pear to  have  had  that  effect.  Since  that  time  the 
agricultural  society  of  Addison  county  has  offered 
liberal  premiums,  in  several  classes,  for  the  best  nur- 
series of  apple  trees,  but  it  is  believed  other  towns 
have  hitherto  carried  off  the  palm. 

Pears  were  planted  at  an  early  day,  and  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  bore  fruit  in  good  abundance ;  at  last, 
these  trees  were  nearly  destroyed  by  the  borei*,  or  died 
with  premature  old  age,  like  the  apple  trees.  The 
only  one  now  living,  known  to  have  been  set  out  by 
an  early  settler,  stands  on  the  farm  of  the  late  Josepli 
Smith.  This  pear  tree  was  set  out  by  Jesse  Graves, 
(probably  about  the  year  1788,)  in  a  very  deep  loaifi, 
stony,  soil ;  it  is  a  great  bearer  and  its  fruit  is  of  an 
excellent  quality,  and  notwithstanding  its  age,  shows 
but  slight  indications  of  decay.  There  are  quite  a 
number  of  other  pear  trees  in  town,  of  more  recent 
growth,  the  fruits  of  which  ^are  ^^well  known.  The 
world-renowned  Seckel  and  Bartlett  are  beginning  to 
be  cultivated,  and  are  in  bearing  in  small  quantities. 

Plum  trees  of  spontaneous  growth  were  found  by 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  97 

the  settlers  in  all  parts  of  the  town,  and  being  bounti- 
ful bearers  and  of  several  different  varieties,  many  of 
them  were  transferred  to  the  garden.  These  afforded 
a  good  supply  of  this  kind  of  fruit,  and  very  little 
effort  was  made  to  raise  any  of  the  cultivated  varieties 
until  about  the  year  1818.  About  this  time  were  in- 
troduced the  black  damsons,  the  green  and  purple 
gages,  the  egg  and  peach  and  white  and  blue  plum, 
and  probably  some  others.  Not  all  of  these  plums 
were  of  the  character  which  their  names  would  in- 
dicate ;  the  probability  is,  many  of  them  were  incor- 
rectly named,  or  had  degenerated,  for  they  were 
usually  propagated  by  suckers  or  sprouts.  These 
trees  flourished  remarkably  well,  until  most  of  them 
were  killed  by  the  severe  frost  of  the  winters  of  1826 
and  1827,  since  which  time  comparatively  few  plums 
have  been  raised  among  us.  This  fruit  suffers  greatly 
in  most  localities  from  the  sting  of  an  insect  called 
the  curculio,  which  causes  the  plum  to  decay  and 
fall  prematurely  to  the  ground. 

Most  kinds  of  grapes  grown  in  this  town'are  natives 
of  Connecticut,  and  were  brought  here  by  some  of 
the  early  settlers.  Eleazar  Claghorn  brought  several 
varieties  from  Salisbury,  Connecticut,  about  the  year 
1784.  John  Everts,  who  was  also  from  the  same 
town,  set  out  one  variety  only,  the  same  year.  These 
grapes  are  all  distinguished  by  some  little  differences 

8* 


98  HISTOBY    OF    SALISBURY. 

in  color,  size  and  flavor.  From  these  vines  most  of 
the  ^earlj  cultivated  grapes  have  been  propagated. 
One  of  these  vines,  planted  by  John  ^Everts,  is  still 
living,  and  is  now- growing  in  the  most  thrifty  manner 
in  the  place  where  he  first  cleared  the  land  and  planted 
it,  and  where  the  timber  has  since  been  allowed  to 
grow  up  around  it.  It  is  a  constant  bearer,  and  a 
vine  of  the'  most  hardy  character.  These  and  most 
other  kinds  of  grapes  which  bear  any  names  at  all, 
are  called  by  the  names  of  those  persons  who  first 
cultivated  them,  though  many  are  without  name. 
The  culture  of  this  most  healthful  of  /ruits  was  not 
deemed  of  sufficient  importance  by  the  early  settlers, 
to  secure  for  it  any  protection  better  than  a  fence,  or 
a  heap  of  stones,  or  a  green  tree,  until  about  1820, 
when  some  vines  were  selected  with  more  care,  and 
some  skill  was  manifested  in  training  and  pruning 
them,  and  a  framework  was  provided  for  them.  But 
even  now  it  is  found  on  observation  that  the  people 
have  but  a  limited  knowledge  of  the  cultivation  of 
the  grape,  though  they  are  beginning  to  give  it  some 
attention.  The  best  varieties  are  known  to  only  a 
few.  Several  varieties,  mostly  new  to  the  people 
here,  have  been  recommended,  and  some  of  them 
have  been  recently  cultivated  with  good  success, 
among  which  might  be]  noticed  the  Lyman,  Isabella, 
Miller  Burgunda,  White  Sweet  Water,  White  Musca- 


HISTOKY    OF    SALTSJn'KY.  99 

dine  and  Catawba.  The  three  first  mentioned  are  the 
most  sure  of  success,  as  the  latter  have  quite  fre- 
quently been  known  to  fail  to  ripen. 

A  number  of  grafters  came  through  this  town  about 
the  year  1836,  and  in  the  two  or  three  succeeding 
years,  who  turned  out  to  be  dishonest  speculators. 
These  men  found  considerable  employment  here,  and 
set  grafts  which  they  highly  recommended,  but  which 
proved  to  be  no  better  than  the  trees  they  grafted. 
They  also  gave  many  wrong  names,  whereby  much 
confidence  was  lost  in  the  names  of  a  great  part  of 
our  fruit. 

It  is  recommended  to  the  fruit-growers  of  Salisbury 
to  send  by  express,  specimens  of  at  least  a  dozen  of 
each  kind  of  their  best  fruits,  to  the  committee  of  the 
Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society  at  Boston.  This 
will  secure  a  report  of  their  true  name  and  character, 
and  by  comparing  fruit  raised  in  Vermont  with  that 
of  the  same  kind  from  other  parts  of  New  Englaild, 
will  be  secured  to  us  the  relative  value  of  our  fruit  in 
Boston. 


100  HISTORY   OF    SALI8BUKV. 


CHAPTER  X. 

GARDENING. HONEY   BEES. FISHING. THE    CHASE. 

SNAKE   HUNTING. 

Some  attention  was  paid  by  tlie  early  settlers  to 
the  cultivation  of  flowers,  though  of  course  to  a  lim- 
ited extent.  The  perception  of  the  beautiful  is  a 
natural  gift ;  hence,  even  amid  all  the  labor  and  rus- 
ticity of  our  ancestry,  some  time  was  found  for  the 
cultivation  of  the  taste.  The  girls  had  their  little 
flower  beds,  not  filled  with  rare  exotics  and  plants  of 
tropical  origin,  to  be  sure,  but  with  the  more  simple 
indigenous  plants,  the  pansy,  the  daisy,  the  lily,  so 
appropriately  in  keeping  with  their  unpretending  time 
and  place. 

The  cultivation  of  flowers  has  never  been  carried 
to  a  great  extent  in  this  town;  yet,  ever  since  its 
first  settlement,  gardens  have  had  a  prosperous  exis- 
tence here,  and  now,  in  every  part,  both  in  doore  and 
out,  may  be  seen  evidences  of  progress  in  floriculture. 
This  progress  is  noticed  with  pleasure.  It  is  an  in- 
dication of  a  higher  cultivation  than  is  necessary  for 
a  mere  livelihood.     Every  family  should  appropriate 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  10 1 

at  least  a  few  rods  of  ground,  exclusively  for  tlie 
benefit  of  floriculture.  The  ladies  in  many  parts  of 
Europe,  as  well  as  in  our  own  country,  have  taken 
the  greatest  delight  in  this  pleasant  recreation.  At 
the  same  time  it  characterizes  their  taste,  it  leads  to 
botanical  research,  and  afibrds  at  once  labor  and  re- 
creation to  the  body,  both  of  which  are  greatly 
needed,  especially  by  the  ladies  at  the  present  time. 
It  is  hoped  and  believed  that  the  females  of  this 
-^tate  will  yet  learn,  that  to  bring  down  their  list  of 
mortality  to  a  level  with  that  of  males,  advantage 
must  be  taken  of  out  door  exercise. 

But  this  subject  must  be  left  to  the  observation 
and  reflection  of  the  reader,  while  we  content  our- 
selves with  making  a  few  suggestions  connected  with 
the  nature  of  the  honey  bee. 

The  flowers  of  most  plants  and  trees  produce  honey 
and  pollen  ;  both  are  essential  to  the  life  of  the  honey- 
bee. The  honey  lies  at  the  base  of  the  blossom,  while 
the  pollen  is  found  slightly  adhering  to  the  stamens 
above.  The  peculiarities  of  sexual  difference  appear 
to  exist  in  plants  as  well  as  in  animals ;  there  is  a 
male  and  a  female  flower — though  in  some  instances, 
as  is  the  case  with  wheat,  rye,  and  perhaps  other 
grains,  both  sexes  appear  to  exist  in  the  same  flower. 

The  blossoms  of  most  trees  and  plants  require  some 
agency  other  than  uncertain  winds,  to  transmit  the 


102  HISTORY   OF    SALI6BUKY. 

pollen  from  the  stamens  of  one  flower  to  the  pistils  of 
another,  which  transmission  is  essential  to  fructifica- 
tion. This  important  service  is  often  performed 
through  insect  agency — thus  affording  an  interesting 
illustration  of  Infinite  desiorn. 

o 

The  lioney  is  placed  deep  in  the  flower,  so  that 
while  the  honey-loving  insect  seeks  its  food,  it  uncon- 
sciously promotes  the  fructification  of  the  plant ;  for 
in  passing  from  flower  to  flower,  and  reaching  deep  for 
its  food,  its  hody  and  legs  become  covered  w^ith  pollen, 
particles  of  which  are  loosed  and  dropped  upon  the 
pistils  of  the  almost  countless  flowers  which  it  may 
visit,  thus  unwittingly,  perhaps,  but  providentially, 
stimulating  the  blossom  to  fructification. 

The  pollen  from  the  flowers  of  different  plants  and 
trees,  thus  being  mingled  together  by  winds  and  in- 
sects, produces  a  great  variety  in  our  fruits  and  veg- 
etables. The  seed  of  the  potatoe,  when  planted  at  so 
great  a  distance  from  any  other  of  its  kind  that  there 
can  be  no  admixture  of  the  pollen  from  the  blossoms 
of  the  two,  will  produce  its  like ;  but  when  many 
kinds  are  planted  together ,  the  seed  will  produce 
many  new  varieties.  The  same  is  true  of  melons, 
and  other  fruits. 

It  is  a  further  illustration  of  Divine  wisdom,  that 
insects  of  different  species,  and  varying  greatly  in 
size,  are  adapted  to  all  the  varieties  of  honey-produ- 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY.  103 

cing  plants.  The  honey-bee  can  rest  upon  the  white- 
clover,  and  with  his  proboscis  reach  to  the  lower  ex- 
tremity of  the  blossom,  and  extract  the  honey.  He 
can  do  this,  also,  in  the  blossoms  of  most  all  our  fruit 
and  forest  trees,  and  from  flowers  much  smaller  than 
that  of  the  white-clover ;  but  in  flowers  of  too  slen  - 
der  a  make  to  bear  his  weight,  the  smaller  insects 
find  their  repast.  So,  likewise,  is  provision  made  for 
the  disposal  of  the  honey  in  larger  and  deeper  blos- 
soms ;  for  instance,  the  red-clover  and  lilac.  These 
blossoms  contain  much  honey,  but  the  honey-bee  can- 
not reach  it ;  so  here  comes  the  humble-bee,  and  finds 
his  share.  Again,  there  is  the  hollyhock,  the  honey- 
suckle, and  other  plants  which  secrete  honey  in  great 
abundance,  but  whose  honey-cup  lies  so  deep  that  no 
insect  can  reach  it;  here,  then,  the  humming-bird  is 
provided  with  her  feast. 

It  is  true,  observations  like  the  foregoing  do  not  le- 
gitimately come  within  the  history  of  a  town ;  but 
in  connection  with  the  honey-bee  they  are  very  natu- 
rally suggested. 

Keeping  bees  was  not  only  a  source  of  luxury,  but 
a  profitable  business  to  the  settlers.  The  forest  trees 
yielded  honey  in  great  abundance,  and  little  care  of 
the  bees  was  necessary,  other  than  to  hive  them  when 
they  swarmed.  They  were  generally  kept  in  rough 
board  boxes,  and  in  hives,  looking  more  like  tubs. 


104  HISTORY   OF   SALISBUKr. 

than  any  thing  else,  made  from  the  sections  of  hollow 
trees. 

Those  sections  were  selected  without  much  regard  - 
to  size,  and  were  usually  from  sixteen  inches  to  two 
feet  in  length.  A  board  nailed  over  the  end  of  these 
completed  the  hive.*  In  hives  like  these,  of  course 
it  was  necessary  to  destroy  the  bees  in  getting  the 
honey,  which  was  usually  done  in  the  early  part  of 
October,  by  smothering  them  with  the  fumes  of  burn- 
ing brimstone.  The  late  swarms,  and  those  which 
had  passed  three  winters,  were  the  ones  usually  pro- 
scribed. Even  with  these  sacrifices,  bees  were  kept 
with  good  profit,  and  produced  a  large  supply  of 
honey ;  but  afterward,  as  the  land  was  cleared,  and 
the  hard  timber  destroyed,  the  yearly  product  of 
honey  was  very  much  lessened,  and  the  interest  in 
bees  began  to  decline. 

Cultivated  fruit-trees  and  grasses  could  not  be 
made  to  yield  as  much  honey,  nor  of  as  good  quality, 
as  the  hard  timber  which  had  been  taken  from  the 
land.  Tills,  undoubtedly,  will  account  in  great  meas- 
ure for  the  present  degenerate  state  of  the  apiary 
throughout  the  country.  Bees  have  been  gradually 
declining  since  about  1804,  except  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  large  tracts  of  land  covered  with  hard 

*  Some  persons  used  straw  hives. 


HISTORY   OF    SALTSBURY.  106 

timber.  In  other  localities  they  do  well,  sometimes, 
for  one  or  two  seasons,  when  all  may  suddenly  die 
from  the  effects  of  too  much  rain,  or  from  a  drouth, 
or  other  peculiarity  of  climate.  Unless  bees  are  lo- 
cated where  they  can  have  access  to  proper  aromatic 
plants  or  shrubs  during  August  and  September,  they 
are  compelled  to  collect  much  of  their  food  for  their 
young  from  poisonous  plants  which  grow  on  the  low 
lands  and  in  the  swamps,  which  often  engenders  dis- 
ease among  the  young,  and  thus  destroys  what  would 
otherwise  constitute  the  winter  stock  of  the  hive; 
for  the  bees  which  are  hatched  in  the  latter  part  of 
August,  in  September  and  in  the  fore  part  of  Oc- 
tober, are  the  only  ones  that  live  through  the  win- 
ter; hence  the  condition  of  the  apiary  in  every  lo- 
cality for  the  following  spring,  can  be  determined 
with  great  certainty  in  these  autumnal  months. 

The  best  location  for  bees  is  near  the  base  of  the 
mountains ;  for  there  those  flowers  which  furnish  the 
necessary  food  for  the  young  are  usually  found,  and 
the  hard  timber  is  more  plenty,  and  if  cut  off  is  al- 
lowed to  grow  up  again,  which  in  a  few  years  pro- 
duces honey. 

In  the  year  1807,  the  bee-moth,  an  enemy  more 
hostile  to  the  apiary  than  any  other,  made  its  appear- 
ance. This  moth  has  done  the  greatest  injury  to  the 
bee  interest,  and  it  works  in  so  subtle  a  manner  that 

9 


106  niSTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

it  is  hard  to  be  met ;  its  character  has  been  but  poorly 
understood,  and  not  easily  learned.  After  the  careful 
observations  of  many  years,  we  conclude  that  the 
moth  is  nev^er  the  primary,  but  the  secondary  cause 
of  the  destruction  of  the  hive,  and  is  like  the  worm 
that  consumes  and  destroys  the  carcass  of  an  animal 
after  the  principle  of  life  is  gone. 

Depopulation,  by  famine  or  disease,  is  always  the 
first  cause  of  the  destruction  of  the  honey-bee.  The 
change  of  climate  which  took  place  at  the  beginning 
of  the  present  centur^^,  the  destruction  of  the  hard 
timber,  and  of  many  honey-producing  plants,  brought 
famine  to  the  bees,  and  then  disease  followed,  as  it 
always  does,  every  where,  and  finally  the  moths  ap- 
peared, to  perform  their  disastrous  work.  The  same 
facts  have  been  observed  in  the  settlement  of  other 
parts  of  the  United  States ;  famine  to  the  bees  fol- 
lows the  axe — then  disease — and  finally  the  moths,  to 
complete  the  work  of  destruction. 

Hunting  bees  was  made  a  source  of  considerable 
profit  by  some  of  the  early  settlers,  until  the  bees 
began  to  decline,  as  already  remarked. 

The  hollows  of  the  innumerable  pines  which  cov- 
ered the  land,  aiforded  suitable  and  abundant  homes 
for  the  bees,  and  in  them  the  hunters,  every  autumn, 
were  sure  to  find  a  good  reward  for  their  time  and 
labor.     It  was  not  uncommon  for  an  expert  hunter  to 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  107 

find  several  swarms  in  a  single  day,  each  yielding  from 
twenty  to  eighty,  and  sometimes  a  hundred  pounds 
of  strained  honey.  But  the  changes  in  the  circum- 
stances of  the  country,  and  of  the  bees  themselves 
have  been  so  great,  that  hunting  them  has  become 
more  a  matter  of  amusement  than  of  profit. 

Fishing  was  a  matter  of  nc^  little  importance,  in  the" 
early  days  of  the  town,  for  good  supplies  of  fish  w^ere 
usually  at  hand  for  the  temporary  relief  of  the  family, 
when  game  was  scatce  or "  out  of  time."  In  those 
days,  all  the  streams  and  lakes,  and  even  the  brooks, 
were  stocked  with  excellent  fish. 

A  species  of  large  trout  called  longe,  and  the  brook- 
trout,  were  caught  in  great  quantities,  (usually  with  a 
hook  and  line),  the  former  in  Lake  Diinmore,  the  latter 
in  Otter  creek,  and  in  all  the  mountain  streams..  A 
quantity  sufiicient  for  a  large  family  could  be  caught, 
at  that  time,  in  a  few  minutes,  in  most  of  the  streams. 
This  afforded  a  great  relief  to  the  sufferings  of  the  set- 
tlers, when  driven  to  extremities  for  want  of  food,  as 
was  especially  the  case  in  the  spring  of  1790.  I^ot  much 
time  (which  always  seems  the  more  valuable  as  the 
country  is  new),  was  spent  in  fishing  for  amusement — 
fishing,  in  most  instances,  was  resorted  to  for  the  pur- 
pose of  gratifying  the  appetite  with  a  change  from 
venison-  or  bear-meat,  or  for  replenishing  their  ex- 
hausted stores. 


108  HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY. 

Trout  were  often  caught  in  Lake  Dunmore,  weigh- 
ing thirty  pounds,  and  even  more,  but  in  later  years 
they  are  seldom  found  in  that  water  weighing  more 
than  ten  or  twelve  pounds.  Brook  trout  have  always 
been  considered  superior  to  any  other,  for  the  table, 
especially  those  which  grow  in  pure  cold  water. 

Trout  found  in  the  ponds  on  the  mountains,  whose 
waters  are  from  the  neighboring  springs,  are  of  ex- 
quisite flavor.  These  fish,  like  the  lobster,  assume  a 
reddish  color  in  the  ordeal  of  'cooking,  as  also  do 
the  trout  of  Lana  river,  which  also  are  of  a  delicious 
quality. 

The  same  species  of  fish  caught  in  Middlebury 
river,  or  in  any  of  the  streams  which  empty  into 
Otter  creek  (whereby  the  latter  stream  is  made  a  place 
of  winter  quarters),  are  not  so  good  for  the  table  as 
those  taken  from  the  pure  waters  of  the  mountains. 
Otter  creek  is  a  sluggish  and  impure  stream,  and  im- 
parts to  its  fish  a  whiteness  and  softness  which  ren- 
der them  less  palatable.  Fish  taken  from  Lake  Dun- 
more  are  of  far  superior  quality  to  those  of  the  same 
species  taken  from  Otter  creek. 

But  Otter  creek  affords  many  fish  which  are  eaten, 
and  which  are  really  good;  for  instance,  pickerel, 
suckers,  bull-heads,  rock  bass  and  perch. 

As  the  settlement  advanced  and  the  number  of 
inhabitants  increased,  fish  of  all  kinds  diminished, 


IIISTOKY   OF    SALISBUEY.  109 

both  in  numbers  and  in  weight;  the  erection  of  dams 
and  mills  appeared  to   be  unfriendly  to  their  rapid 
increase.     Moreover,  the  largest  of  them  appeared  to 
have  been  caught ;  at  any  rate  they  disappeared,  and 
an  evident  decline  of  the  fisheries  was  observed  about 
1800.     Eels  had  never  been  seen  previous  to  about 
this  time,  in  Otter  creek,  or  in  any  of  its  tributaries 
above  Middlebury  falls ;  subsequently,  they  increased 
with  great  rapidity  for  a  number  of  years,  and  were 
caught  weighing  from  two  to  six  or  seven  pounds.* 
As  none  of  the  best  kinds  of  fish  in   Lake  Cham- 
plain  had  found  their  ^way  above  the  falls  at  Yer- 
gennes,  the  people  in  Salisbury  and  several  adjoin- 
ing  towns   formed  companies  in  the  year   1819,  to 
supply  the  creek  and  other  waters  in  this  region  with 
fish  from   that   lake.     This   they  undertook  by  en- 
gaging seines  at  the  lake,  and  hiring  men  to  draw 
in  fish  of  every  sort  they  could  get,  rejecting  such 
only  as  were  already  here.     These  fish  were  taken 
from  the  seines  and  put  into  hogsheads  of  water,  in 
wagons,  and  brought  to  the  banks  of  Otter  creek,  at 
various  places,  and  there   again   committed   to  the 
water.      This   laid   the   foundation   for   a  numerous 
stock  of  ^valuable  fish,  which  made  their  appearance 
in  almost  incredible  numbers,  in  the  course  of  three 
or  four  years. 

*  These  fish  have  been  very  rarely  seen  for  many  years. 
0* 


110  HISTORY   OF   SALISBUET. 

But  these,  in  turn,  after  devouring  a  great  share  of 
the  small  fish,  which  were  the  original  occupants  of 
the  creek,  were  so  incessantly  caught  by  the  hook, 
spear  and  net,  that  they  soon  began  to  diminish  both 
in  number  and  in  weight.  Undoubtedly  a  great 
many  went  back  finto  Lake  Champlain  again,  by  a 
safe  journey,  in  high  water,  over  the  several  inter- 
vening falls. 

Pickerel,  rock  bass  and  mullet  are  the  only  kinds 
of  these  Lake  Champlain  fish  now  remaining  in  town. 

Pickerel  have  been  caught  in  Otter  creek  weighing 
nearly  thirty  pounds,  though  they  are  not  often  found 
to  exceed  two  thirds  that  weight ;  their  usual  weight, 
as  now  taken,  varies  from  one  to  six  pounds,  with  an 
occasional  one  weighing  as  high  as  fifteen  and  even 
twenty  pounds.  The  other  fish  mentioned  are  smaller, 
the  rock-bass  varying  from  a  half  of  a  pound  to  two 
pounds,  and  the  mullet  from  one  to  four  and  some- 
times six  pounds. 

There  are  many  other  kinds  of  fish  in  town,  of  an 
inferior  character,  and  of  no  apparent  use,  unless  it 
may  be  to  serve  as  bait  in  catching  the  larger  kinds. 
Of  these  it  is  not  our  purpose  to  speak. 

The  first  inhabitants  found  a  good  deal  of  diversion 
as  well  as  profit  in  the  chase.  It  is  within  the  memory 
of  the  author,  when  salted  venison  and  bear  meat 
were  very  common  upon  the  tables  of  many  of  our 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  Ill 

people,  especially  among  tliose  who  took  delight  in 
the  chase. 

The  skins  of  the  deer  were  dressed,  and  used  in 
making  moccasins,  mittens  and  over-alls  or  breeches. 
The  furs  of  several  different  kinds  of  wild  animals 
were  used  for  various  purposes,  while  the  surplus 
(and  furs  always  commanded  a  fair  price,)  was  sold 
to  fur  dealers. 

Among  the  valuable  furs,  that  of  the  otter  stood 
first,  then  came  that  of  the  fisher,  the  sable,  the  mink, 
the  raccoon,  the  musk  rat  and  perhaps  others.  These 
animals  were  taken  in  traps  or  shot,  and  were  found 
in  quite  large  numbers. 

The  beaver  had  mostly  left  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try before  the  settlement  of  the  town  commenced, 
though  these  animals  must  have  been  here  in  great 
numbers,  not  many  years  previous,  for  their  dams  are 
yet  visible  on  many  if  not  all  the  small  streams. 

It  is  believed  that  none  of  the  trappers  and  hunters 
in  Salisbury  have  accumulated  much  wealth  from  the 
sale  of  their  furs,  and  yet  there  are  a  few  persons  who 
do  a  fair  business  for  a  few  weeks  at  the  return  of 
every  spring  and  autumn,  in  catching  a  few  of  these 
wild  animals  when  their  skins  are  valuable. 

Many  of  the  wild  animals  which  frequented  these 
regions  seventy  years  ago,  are  now  extinct  or  have 
sought  a  home  elsewhere.     The  catamount  has  not 


112  HISTORY    OF    SALISBUBY. 

been  seen  here  since  1809 ;  the  wolf  and  deer  took 
their  final  departure  about  1833  or  1834;  and  though 
it  was  not  uncommon,  at  one  time,  to  see  tlie  bears 
roaming  tlirough  theclearings  in  the  woods,  even  in  the 
day  time,  they  now  can  but  rarely  be  found  anywhere. 
They  were  compelled  to  flee  to  the  mountains,  where 
an  occasional  one  may  yet  be  caught;  and  even  on 
the  mountains,  the  wild  cat,  the  wolverine,  and  lynx, 
now  are  scarcely  known. 

Foxes  are  not  often  seen  in  any  new  country,  but 
come  in  as  the  settlement  advances.  The  same  is 
true  of  the  skunk. 

One  of  the  first  of  these  last-named  animals,  (an 
animal  at  once  mischievous  and  loathsome)  found  in 
this  town,  was  caught  in  a  trap  on  Holland  Weeks' 
farm,  in  1796.  This  incident  gave  to  the  hill  on 
which  the  skunk  was  cauglit  its  present  name,  "  Skunk 
Hill." 

Grey-squirrels  were  rarely  met  with  before  the  com- 
mencement of  the  present  century,  though  they  are 
now  quite  numerous ;  while  black-squirrels,  though 
now  nearly  if  not  quite  extinct,  were  then  found  in 
quite  large  numbers. 

Partridges,  which  once  were  so  plenty,  and  afforded 
so  much  amusement  as  well  as  food,  have  gradually 
though  not  altogether  disappeared  ;  and  quails  almost 
entirely  left  the  country,  many  years  since. 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  113 

The  common  house-rat  did  not  make  its  appearance 
here  until  about  the  year  1800,  but  since  that  time  it 
has  proved  itself  to  be  one  of  the  most  loathsome  and 
mischievous  animals  among  us. 

Rattle-snake  hunting  was  made  a  profitable  busi- 
ness by  some  of  the  settlers,  though  catching  rattle- 
snakes was  too  hazardous  an  undertakiug  to  induce 
many  to  enter  into  the  business.  These  snakes  fre- 
quented the  vicinity  of  Sawyer's  Mills  (now  Salisbury 
village),  but  their  favorite  haunts  were  on  the  point 
of  the  mountain  east  of  Lake  Dunmore — and  it  was 
this  fact  that  gave  it  its  present  name,  "  Kattle-Snake 
Point."* 

These  reptiles  converted  the  holes  in  the  rocks  of 
the  mountains  into  places  or  dens  for  wintering,  in 
which  they  were  made  quite  easy  captives  by  the 
hunter,  at  the  return  of  every  spring  and  autumn. 

Though  armed  with  deadly  fangs,  they  never  use 
them,  unless  it  be  in  self  defence,  and  even  in  this 
case,  not  unless  aggravated  by  being  stepped  on,  or 
otherwise,  and  not  without  first  giving  timely  warniog 
by  shaking  their  rattles,  which  are  located  at  the  end 
of  the  tail.     This  rattle  may  be  heard  distinctly  at  the 


*  This  mountain  has  received  several  different  names.  Those 
more  classically  inclined,  call  it  the  Gnomon,  from  its  resem- 
blance to  the  hand  of  the  dial. 


114  HISTORY   OF    SALISBUEY. 

distance  of  several  rods,  and  it  is  said  by  huntere  that 
it  is  always  shaken  nearly  a  minute  before  tlie  snake 
attempts  to  bite. 

These  snakes  emerge  from  their  subterraneous  re- 
treats in  the  spring,  as  soon  as  the  outer  atmosphere 
is  warmer  than  that  in  their  holes ;  and  as  soon  as  the 
atmosphere  is  sufficiently  warm,  so  that  they  do  not 
suffer  from  the  coldness  of  the  night,  they  leave  their 
habitations  entirely,  and  seek  a  living  on  the  plains 
below. 

The  time  in  the  spring  for  hunting  them  is,  as  the 
hunters  say,  when  the  bark  begins  to  slip  on  the  trees 
and  shrubs  growing  in  the  vicinity  of  their  winter 
quarters. 

Again,  as  the  frosts  of  autumn  indicate  the  coming 
winter,  these  snakes  are  seen  seeking  their  subterra- 
neous retreats,  (which  usually  happens  about  the 
middle  of  October),  appearing,  nevertlieless,  occasion- 
ally, on  pleasant  days,  until  their  final  winter  retreat. 
Tliese  snakes  have  no  rattle  until  they  are  at  least  two 
years  old.  On  this  account  the  young  snake  is  per- 
haps the  more  dangerous — not  being  able  to  give  no- 
tice of  his  presence  only  by  his  movement — which, 
by  the  way,  is  represented  as  being  very  quick  and 
spiteful.  These  young  rattle-snakes  were  allowed  by 
the  hunters  to  escape,  and  so  given  time  to  grow  to 
maturity.     Mr.  Amos  Goodrich,  who  was  often  en- 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  115 

gaged  in  these  snake-liimts,  informed  tlie  writer  that 
he  and  Asahel  Beebe  used  to  kill  forty  or  fifty  in  a  day 
— each  snake  having  from  two  or  three  to  sixteen  rat- 
tles— and  that  the  oil  which  they  obtained  from  them 
(and  it  was  the  oil  which  induced  these  hunts,  for  it 
was  sold  to  the  apothecaries  at  a  considerable  profit), 
varied  from  half  a  gill  to  nearly  half  a  pint  on  each. 

The  gall,  likewise,  of  the  rattle-snake  was  highly 
valued  by  the  early  settlers,  and  was  considered  a 
sure  cure  for  most  kinds  of  fever,  when  taken  in  its 
incipient  stages.  It  was  usually  administered  in  a 
powdered  or  grated  form,  mingled  with  a  weak  pota- 
tion of  brandy. 

But  these  snakes  have  long  since  disappeared  from 
about  Salisbury  village,  and  have  become  so  reduced 
on  the  mountains  that  hunting  them  has  ceased  to  be 
an  object  of  gain,  and  now  they  are  only  occasionally 
found  on  the  plains  about  Lake  Dunmore. 


116  HISTORY    OF    BALI8BUJiy. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

MmERALS — ^WATEK-COUESES   AND   WATEE-POWERS. 

It  may  well  be  doubted,  that  the  mines  and  mine- 
rals of  this  town  will  be  made,  at  least  for  many  years, 
a  source  of  great  profit;  for,  although  considerable 
search  has  been  made,  no  discoveries  hitherto  would 
warrant  the  outlay  necessary  to  commence  any  con- 
siderable operations  in  digging  for  ore.  Mr.  Ad- 
ams, in  his  geological  survey  of  this  state,  has  given 
Salisbury  a  passing  notice,  as  follows : — "  Brown  iron 
ore  has  been  found  in  Salisbury,  but  the  locality  has 
not  been  examined.  A  good  specimen  has  been 
brought  to  the  geological  depot  by  Mr.  Huntley. 

It  is  not  improbable,  that  iron  may  at  some  future 
day  be  foimd  in  the  mountains,  in  quantities  suffi- 
ciently large  to  render  digging  a  profitable  business ; 
indeed,  some  good  specimens  of  iron  ore  have  already 
been  picked  up  in  different  places  on  the  mountains. 

But  it  is  believed  that  the  limestone  rock  (which  is 
found  of  the  best  quality  and  in  inexhaustible  quanti- 
ties on  almost  every  farm  in  the  middle  and  western 
parts  of  the  town),  can  be  made  a  much  more  certain 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY.  IIT 

and  immediate  source  of  profit  than  digging  for 
ores. 

This  rock,  when  converted  into  lime,  may  be  turned 
to  the  greatest  advantage  in  recruiting  worn-out 
lands,  and  in  supplying  a  deficiency  of  this  important 
component  in  some  of  our  alluvial  lands,  or  it  may  be 
made  a  profitable  article  of  export  to  other  states, 
where  the  lime-stone  rock  is  less  abundant. 

The  town  of  Salisbury  is  marked  throughout 
with  springs  of  living  water,  and  nearly  every  farm 
has,  running  through  it,  a  river  or  a  rivulet  which, 
even  in  the  dryest  seasons,  never  fails. 

The  water  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  town  is  most 
of  it  soft,  and  fit  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of  washing ; 
bat  that  from  the  springs  and  wells  of  the  western 
and  middle  parts  is  what  is  commonly  called  hard. 

The  most  healthful,  and  in  all  respects  the  best 
water  for  drinking  and  for  culinary  purposes,  accord- 
to  a  late  agricultural  surveyor  of  Massachusetts,  (who 
visited  this  town  and  made  many  very  close  and  accu- 
rate observations  on  its  physical  character),  is  found 
in  spring  near  the  Indian  Garden,  and  is  brought  by 
an  aqueduct  of  logs  into  a  watering- trough  on  the 
bridge,  at  Salisbury  village.* 

*  This  supposed  Indian  Garden  lies  a  little  to  the  east  of  the 
village,  and  contains  several   acres  of  very  handsome  land, 
10 


118  HISTORY   OF   8ALI8BUKT. 

There  are  several  springs  in  town  that  are  slightly 
impregnated  with  mineral  substances,  which  are  found 
to  be  more  or  less  medicinal,  though  none  of  them 
have  been  properly  analyzed.  One  spring  on  the 
farm  of  the  writer  has  formed  a  large  mass  of  cinders 
which  will  effervesce  when  placed  in  vinegar.  Its 
water  has  been  found  useful  in  the  cure  of  sore  eyes, 
salt-rheum,  and  other  cutaneous  diseases.  It  has  also 
been  successfully  used  in  allaying  inflammation  in 
the  feet  and  legs,  in  cases  of  poison  by  the  meadow 
ivy.  It  is  also  found  that  domestic  animals  which 
are  allowed  to  drink  constantly  at  this  spring,  during 
summer,  are  never  attacked  by  malignant  diseases. 

Another  spring  similar  to  this,  a  few  rods  distant, 
has  found  its  way  through  a  ledge  of  lime-stone  rock, 
where  the  gas  or  effluvium  from  the  water  has  caused 
the  rock  to  decay,  flake  off  and  pass  away  with  the 
water,  so  as  to  form  considerable  of  a  cavern,  ot*  the 
depth  of  thirty  feet  or  more. 

Another  spring  which  deserves  notice,  is  found  on 
the  farm  of  Mark  Ranney.     It  is  in  a  dense  cedar 


bordered  on  the  north  side  by  the  river  which  constitutes  the 
outlet  of  Lake  Dunraore.  Hero  many  arrows,  pestles,  earthen 
vessels,  and  other  articles  of  Indian  manufacture,  have  been 
picked  up,  which,  together  with  other  indications  of  a  former 
savage  home,  gave  the  spot  the  name,  Indian  Garden. 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  ^  119 

swamp,  quite  a  long  distance  from  any  hard  land. 
On  pressing  a  staff  down  about  four  feet,  it  was 
found  to  be  logged  up  in  a  triangular  form,  suffi- 
ciently large  to  admit  a  small  pail  or  bucket.  At 
w^hat  time  this  spring  was  thus  prepared  for  use, 
must  be  left  to  conjecture,  though  it  was  undoubtedly 
done  by  the  Indians  at  some  remote  period.  The  old 
logs  and  cedar  trees  about  it,  indicate  tliat  it  was  vis- 
ited perhaps  hundreds  of  years  ago.  Its  w^ater  is 
very  pure  and  cold. 

But  the  most  relnarkable  spring  in  town,  is  found 
to  the  west  of  Mt.  Bryant,  by  the  side  of  the  road 
leading  from  Mr.  Charles  Eager's  factory  to  Lake 
Dunmore.  This  spring  is  situated  about  one  hundred 
and  forty  feet  below  the  level  of  the  lake,  and  is  re- 
markable for  the  great  quantities  of  water  discharged 
from  it  ever  since  its  earliest  discovery,  and  for  the 
gradual  increase  in  the  amount  of  its  water  fur  sev- 
eral years  past. 

This  fact  of  increase  has  excited  the  curiosity  of 
many  observers,  and  it  has  been  suggested  that  this 
spring  receives  its  water  from  Lake  Dunmore,  through 
passages  far  beneath  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  that 
the  increased  amount  of  its  discharge  is  owing  to  the 
enlargement  of  these  passages.  This  may  be  the  case, 
though  it  is  doubtful. 

This  spring  furnishes  quite  a  large   part  of  the 


120  ^  HISTORY   OF    8AXI8BURY. 

water  of  Beaver  brook,  wliicli  accounts  for  the  fact 
that  nearly  the  same  quantity  of  water  is  found  in 
this  stream  in  the  summer  as  in  any  other  season. 

The  advantages  derived  by  tiie  inhabitants  of  Salis- 
bury from  the  nature  and  location  of  their  water  priv- 
ileges, have  been  very  great.  Otter  creek  forming 
the  western  boundary  of  the  town,  can  be  navigated 
at  low  water,  by  boats  of  a  hundred  tons  burthen, 
from  Sutherland's  Falls,  in  Rutland,  to  Middlebury, 
a  distance  of  about  thirty  miles ;  and  Leicester  river, 
which  runs  through  Salisbury  village,  and  is  a  tri- 
butary to  the  creek,  is  navigable  about  three  miles 
above  its  mouth.  These  streams  are  of  great  con- 
venience to  those  living  in  the  south  and  west  parts 
of  the  town,  for  floating  wood  and  timber  to  Middle- 
bur}^  and  Yergennes,  to  supply  the  markets  in  those 
places,  while  those  who  live  in  the  north  and  north- 
eastern parts  of  the  town  can  avail  themselves  of  Mid- 
dlebury river,  which  is  also  a  tributary  to  the  creek, 
for  the  same  purposes. 

But  other  streams  and  rivers  deserve  notice.  The 
Beaver  brook  takes  its  rise  in  two  small  branches 
among  the  mountains  in  the  easterly  parts  of  Middle- 
bury  and  Salisbury,  which  meander  along  the  moun- 
tains in  both  towns  until  they  unite  in  the  northern 
extremity  of  the  town  of  Salisbury,  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountain.    From  this  point  their  united  waters  course 


IlfSTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  121 

tlieir  way  along  near  the  mountains,  in  a  soutli-west- 
erly  direction,  nearly  to  the  centre  of  the  town,  where 
they  are  used  by  Mr.  Charles  Eager  for  propelling  a 
good  saw  mill  and  other  machinery.  This  stream,  at 
this  place,  enlarged  by  its  little  tributaries  and  by  the 
great  spring  already  mentioned,  is  increased  to  the 
size  of  a  considerable  river.  Here  also  it  changes  its 
course  to  a  north-westerly  direction,  and  forms  some 
excellent  intei*val  land  along  its  banks  for  nearly  two 
miles,  and  finally  empties  into  Middlebury  river,  near 
the  northern  boundary  of  the  town. 

The  outlet  of  Lake  Dunmore  forms  a  most  beautiful 
river  of  pure,  clear  water,  of  sufficient  size  to  propel 
any  desirable  machinery.  This  stream,  in  the  course 
of  its  meanderings  for  about  tw^o  miles,  descends  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  wall  admit  of  at  least 
twenty  mill  seats,  several  of  which  are  already  occu- 
pied. Three  saw  mills,  a  grist  mill,  tw^o  or  three 
forges,  a  shovel  factory,  trip  hammer  shop,  clothiei's' 
shop,  two  woolen  factories,  together  wdth  machinery 
for  the  manufacture  of  wagons  and  other  vehicles,  buzz- 
saws  for  sawing  and  splitting  boards,  turning  lathes 
and  shingle  machines  have  already  been  erected  here. 

This  stream  of  w^ater  affords  as  great  if  not  greater 
facilities  to  the  manufacturer  than  any  other  stream 
of  the  same  power  in  this  state.  Its  advantages  are 
many.     Its  water  is  pure  and  clear,  and  is  admirably 

10* 


122  HISTORY   OF   SALTSBTTRY. 

fitted  for  the  use  of  the  paper  maker,  and  for  cleans- 
ing the  raw  material  for  cloths  of  all  kinds.  Dams, 
buildings  and  machinery  on  this  stream  are  peifectly 
secure  from  floods  under  all  circumstances  ;  no  other 
streams  of  water  empty  into  it,  except  occasional 
springs  along  its  border ;  and  the  lake  at  its  outlet  is 
so  constructed  in  its  natural  formation  that  all  the 
surplus  water  in  flood  seasons  niay  be  shut  back  and 
retained,  in  readiness  to  be  used,  if  necessary,  in  sea- 
sons of  extreme  drouth.  The  first  dam  here  was 
erected  by  Colonel  Thomas  Sawyer,  for  a  saw  mill 
and  grist  mill,  as  early  as  1783,  some  of  the  timbers 
of  which  still  remain  in  the  dam  where  Colonel  Saw- 
yer placed  them. 

And  during  this  long  lapse  of  time — more  than  sev- 
enty years — no  dam  on  this  stream  has  been  injured 
by  freshets,  nor  any  inconvenience  sufifered,  as  is  most 
alwaj^s  the  case  in  other  localities,  from  the  formation 
of  anchor-ice. 

The  amount  of  water  here,  is  amply  sufllcient  for 
the  purposes  of  any  ordinary  manufactory,  and  it  is 
hoped  that  the  time  will  come  when  all  this  valuable 
power  will  be  usefully  appropriated.  Salisbury  vil- 
lage is  situated  on  tliis  stream. 

There  is  another  river  of  considerable  size,  which 
we  cannot  pass  over  in  silence,  more  familiarly  known 
by  the  name  of  "Sucker  Brook." 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  123 

This  stream  has  long  been  known  by  the  sportsmen 
for  the  excellent  trout  found  in  its  waters,  and  by  the 
lovers  of  the  beautiful  for  the  scenery  about  it,  and 
especially  for  its  falls,  which,  until  lately,  rejoiced  in 
the  homely  name  of  "  Sucker  Brook  Falls." 

It  was  given  a  new  and  more  appropriate  name,  in 
this  way.  A  party  of  pleasure,  consisting  of  several 
individuals,  among  whom  were  General  Wool,  of  the 
United  States'  army,  and  his  aid,  Lieutenant  Symms, 
Joseph  Barret,  of  the  Middlebury  Register^  William 
Sargeant,  Horatio  Seymour,  J.  A.  Beckwith,  E.  D. 
Barber,  and  others,  were  visiting  the  romantic  scenery 
of  this  river  in  the  autumn  of  1860,  and,  having 
reached  the  falls,  concluded  that  a  place  so  beautiful 
was  worthy  of  a  more  poetical  name  than  that  which 
it  had  previously  borne. 

So  it  was  decided  that  General  Wool  should  give  it 
its  new  and  better  name.  But,  while  he  was  consid- 
ering the  subject,  the  thought  struck  one  of  the  com- 
pany that  it  would  be  a  good  opportunity  to  bestow  a 
deserved  honor  upon  the  distinguished  general,  and 
the  whole  matter  was  taken  from  him  and  vested  in 
the  company,  when  Lieutenant  Symms  proposed  that 
this  stream  be  called  "  The  Lana  Water^^  and  these 
falls  "  The  Falls  of  Lana^''  (Lana  or  Liana,  in  Span- 
ish, means  wool ;  and  the  inhabitants  of  Mexico  used 
to  call  General  Wool,  General  Liana.) 


124  HISTORY    OF    8ALI8BUKV. 

It  was  then  voted  that  E.  D.  Barber  should  perform 
the  ceremony  of  consecration,  who,  taking  the  appropri- 
ate libation  in  his  hand,  said  : — Forever  after  let  this 
stream  he  called  Thie  Lana  Water,  and  these  falls  Thp: 
Falls  of  Lana,  in  honor  of  one  whose  fame  as  a  hero 
shall  live  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen  and  on  the 
page  of  history,  as  long  as  this  stream  and  these  rocks 
shall  endure^'^  and  then  poured  the  libation  into  the 
water. 

The  ceremony  then  closed  by  giving  three  times 
three  cheers  in  honor  of  the  occasion,  which  was 
done  with  true  Green  Mountain  enthusiasm,  and  the 
party,  delighted  with  the  events  of  the  day,  returned, 
leaving  "The  Lana  Water"  flowing  and  tumbling 
along,  rejoicing  in  its  new  and  excellent  name. 

The  name  Sucker  Brook  was  given  to  this  stream, 
from  the  fact  that  countless  numbers  of  the  fish  called 
suckers  run  into  its  mouth  every  spring,  from  Lake 
Dunmore,  and  there  deposit  their  spawn.  More 
than  a  thousand  of  these  fish  have  been  taken  in  this 
river,  by  nets  and  spears,  in  a  single  night. 

It  takes  its  rise  far  back  in  the  mountains,  probably 
in  Hancock,  and  in  its  course  runs  through  Goshen,  in 
which  several  saw-mills  liave  been  erected  upon  it. 
From  Goshen  it  finds  its  way  among  the  mountains  in 
the  eastern  part  of  Salisbury,  where,  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  an  abundance  of  good  sawing  timber,  sev- 


niSTOEY    OF    BALISBL^RY.  125 

erai  good  saw-mill  seats  may  be  found,  and  finally 
passes  over  its  falls,  "  some  hundred  and  fifty  feet, 
through  chasms  in  the  rocks,  and  through  a  natural 
open  sluice  or  tunnel,  worn  out  of  the  solid  rock," 
and  thence  into  Lake  Dunmore. 


126 


HISTOliY   OF    8ALI8BUKT. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

MECHANICS,     MECHANICAL     INVENTIONS,     PATENT     RIGHTS, 
MANUFACTURES. 


The  following  table  contains  the  names  and  voca- 
tions of  most  of  the  early  settlers  who  were  mechanics. 
Their  localities  are  distinguished  by  the  number  of 
the  school  district  in  which  they  lived. 

School  district  ]^o.  1  lies  in  the  north-west  cor- 
ner of  the  town.  No.  2  in  the  south-west  comer. 
No.  3  in  the  middle.  No.  4  in  the  north-east  corner, 
on  east  stage  road.  No.  5,  the  village.  No.  6,  the 
glass  factory  district. 


1783. 

Thomas  Sawyer, 

(t 

Stephen  Qill, 

1784. 

—  Call, 

1785. 

William  Graves, 

1786. 

Joseph  Graves, 

1787. 

Abram  Hard, 

1788. 

Holland  Weeks, 

it 

John  Fyfe, 

OCCUPATION. 

(  Blacksmith. 
^  Mill-wright, 

(^  Carpenter, 
Collier, 
Tray  maker, 
Carpenter, 
Wheelwright, 
Cloth  dresser, 
Cooper, 
Brickmason, 


NU. 
DDT. 


UISTOiiY    OF    SALISBURY. 


127 


DATK. 

NAMB. 

OCCITPATION. 

NO. 
UIST. 

1788. 

Penuel  Stephens, 

Tray  maker, 

2 

J789. 

Hooker  Sawyer, 

Cut  nail  maker, 

5 

(t 

Asa  Lawrence, 

Carpenter, 

1 

1790. 

Aaron  L.  Beach, 

Blacksmith, 

1 

1791. 

Captain  Samuel  Keep, 

Bloomer, 

5 

(( 

Ira  Smith,^ 

Joiner, 

1 

1794. 

John  Deming, 

Blacksmith, 

5 

i4 

Stephen  Kossiter, 

Cut  nail  maker. 

5 

(< 

Nathaniel  Chafey, 

Blacksmith, 

5 

1795. 

David  Graves, 

Carpenter, 

1 

1796. 

Keuben  French, 

Tanner  and  currier. 

3 

1798. 

Harvey  Deming, 

Blacksmith, 

5 

1799. 

Jacob  Bartholomew, 

Steelyard  maker, 

5 

1800. 

William  Copeland, 

Wheelwright, 

3 

1801. 

Stephen  Hard, 

Cloth  dresser, 

4 

1802. 

William  Yates, 

Tailor, 

5 

180:J. 

Aaron  Goodrich, 

Tailor, 

3 

1804. 

Nathaniel  R,  Field, 

Tailor, 

1 

a 

Sylvan  us  Toby, 

Carpenter, 

3 

J  805. 

Jonas  Hildreth, 

Clockmaker, 

3 

t( 

Joel  Bigelow, 

Basket  maker, 

4 

1806.  • 

Ahner  More,  jr., 

Blacksmith, 

5 

1807. 

Jeremiah  Morton, 

Cloth  dresser, 

5 

1808. 

Elijah  Woodman, 

Hoemaker, 

1 

ii 

Ellery  Howard, 

Cloth  dresser, 

5 

1809. 

Jeremiah  Rockwell, 

Tanner  and  currier, 

5 

1810. 

Haskell  and  Nelson, 

Millers, 

5 

1811. 

Joshua  Seaver, 

Cooper, 

5 

«( 

Moses  Hitchcock, 

Bloomer, 

5 

'' 

Jacob  Chase, 

Bloomer, 

5 

1812. 

Noah  Hubbard, 

Distiller, 

1 

128 


IIISTOJiY    OF    SALISBURY. 


DATB. 

NAMiC. 

OCCUPATIOK. 

HO. 
PI8T. 

1813. 

Ep.  Jones, 

Glass  ma]u;r. 

6 

»t 

Harry  Johnson  and  Co. 

,,     Shovel  makers, 

5 

1814. 

Sam'l  Holt, 

Saddler, 

5 

ii 

Eliakim  Weeks, 

Sawyer, 

5 

it 

John  U.  Seymour, 

Bloomer, 

5 

" 

Levi  Holman, 

Chair  maker. 

5 

1815. 

Leonard  Lamb, 

Mill-wright, 

5 

ii 

Artemas  Moses, 

Carpenter  and  joiner. 

3 

4( 

Benoni  Porter, 

Shoemaker, 

5 

(( 

E.  and  0.  Rico, 

Shoemakers, 

5 

(( 

Joel  Johnson, 

Blacksmith, 

5 

" 

Harvey  Savery, 

Blacksmith, 

5 

t4 

Samuel  Johnson, 

Blacksmith, 

5 

4« 

Jacob  Leonard, 

Bloomer, 

5 

it 

Edward  Phelps, 

Cooper, 

5 

*' 

Charles  Cadwell, 

Tanner  and  currier. 

5 

(4 

Seth  Bolcom, 

Chair  maker. 

5 

1816. 

Orrin  Ray, 

House  joiner, 

5 

44 

Demetrius  Crampton, 

Carpenter, 

5 

44 

Warren  Rockwell, 

Chairmaker, 

5 

44 

Origen  Bingham, 

Goldsmith,      • 

5 

1817. 

44 

Jarvis  Deane, 
•   Isaac  Blake, 

>  Cotton  manufacturer?. 

5 

1818. 

Joshua  Heminway, 

Brickmason, 

5 

1819. 

Charles  Filley, 

Turner, 

5 

1820. 

Wm.  S.  Copeland, 

Wheelwriglit, 

5 

1821. 

Geo.  M.  Copeland, 

Blacksmith, 

5 

1822. 

Tubal  Cain  Pray, 

Shovel  maker, 

5 

1823. 

Nehemiah  Pray, 

Blacksmith, 

5 

1824. 

Sylvester  Barrows, 

Hatter, 

5 

1825. 

Nevins  Kelar, 

Hatter, 

5 

HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  129 

It  may  be  well  to  notice  a  few  individuals  whose 
names  appear  in  the  foregoing  table,  who  had  consid- 
erable excellence  in  inventive  genius. 

Deacon  Aaron  L.  Beach  invented  and  made  the 
first  die  screw  plate — the  first  not  only  in  this  town, 
but  in  this  countr}^ 

Mr.  Beach  had,  previous  to  this  time,  manifested 
much  skill  in  his  calling  as  a  blacksmith,  but  never 
thought  of  speculating  in  patent  rights,  and  did  not 
secure  his  right  on  this  invention  by  letters  patent,  as 
he  might  have  done,  to  his  great  pecuniary  advantage. 

Perhaps  he  did  not  at  first  realize  the  vast  impor- 
tance of  his  invention,  nor  until  it  had  passed  beyond 
his  reach,  for  he  sold  the  plate  which  he  had  made  for 
his  own  use,  to  a  friend  of  the  same  calling  with  him- 
self, at  a  very  low  price,  which  was  afterward  taken 
to  the  city  of  New  York. 

In  New  York  it  soon  became  known,  and  was  eager- 
ly sought  as  one  of  the  most  important  tools  to  the 
blacksmith.  Mr.  Beach's  pecuniary  interest  was  thus 
taken  away  in  the  veiy  beginning,  thougli  he  did  af- 
terward make  a  few  of  these  instruments,  at  prices 
without  profit,  for  the  convenience  of  some  of  his 
neighbors. 

This  invention  has  proved  to  be  of  almost  incalcu- 
lable value,  not  only  to  the  blacksmith,  but  to  all 
machinists ;  for  now  there  is  no  factory  nor  machine- 
11 


130  HISTORY    OF    SAJ.TSBTJBT. 

shop  throughout  the  country  which  is  not  supplied 
with  this  screw  plate. 

But,  if  Mr.  Beach  did  not  acquire  a  fortune  through 
his  invention,  he  had  the  consolation,  in  common  with 
many  other  inventoi-s,  that  he  had  not  lived  in  vain. 
He  also  escaped  the  competition  and  litigation  into 
which  he  might  have  been  drawn  by  other  claimants ; 
for,  indeed,  it  has  come  to  that  pass,  that  law-suits  and 
strife  are,  in  this  country,  a  part  of  the  patentee's  re- 
ward. 

This  invention  has  been  improved  in  some  minor 
respects,  by  others,  but  no  new  principle  has  been 
added  to  it. 

Jacob  Bartholomew  made  an  invention  in  steel 
yards,  and  applied  his  improvement  to  scales  or  bal- 
ances about  the  year  1819,  and  secured  letters  patent 
on  the  same,  about  that  time. 

Mr.  Bartholomew  did  not  get  rich  by  his  invention, 
though  it  was  a  valuable  and  useful  contribution  to 
the  public,  and  was  so  considered,  wherever  it  was 
known.  Afterward  E.  &  W.  Fairbank's  scales  came 
into  use,  which  superseded  all  other  contrivances  for 
weighing,  except  for  some  few  purposes,  to  which  the 
common  steel  yards  were  better  adapted. 

The  author  is  not  aware  that  any  other  patent  has 
been  granted  to  any  individual  in  this  town,  for  im- 
plements used  in  any  of  the  mechanical  arts. 


-w*^^-^-^-    -^^^ 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  131 

John  M.  "Weeks  secured  letters  patent  for  an  im- 
provement in  the  construction  of  the  bee-hive  in  1836. 
This  invention  at  that  time,  and  for  many  subsequent 
years,  was  deemed  of  great  importance  in  bee  culture, 
for  it  brought  into  existence  the  first  chamber-hive  of 
general  use  in  the  United  States,  which  would  admit 
of  the  removal  of  the  surplus  pure  honey,  by  means 
of  drawers  and  slides. 

This  patent  was  managed  at  a  small  profit  for  three 
or  four  years ;  but  as  the  patentee  accompanied  all 
his  sales  with  a  manual  containing  instructions  in  the 
management  of  bees,  and  as  he  spared  no  pains  in 
disseminating  what  knowledge  he  had  of  the  habits 
and  instincts  of  these  interesting  insects,  many  others 
began  to  devise  means,  not  only  to  obviate  his  patent, 
but  by  some  slight  variations,  or  new  combination  of 
principles,  to  secure  a  patent  for  themselves. 

Mr.  Weeks,  observing  this,  and  realizing  its  effects 
in  a  considerable  degree,  again  sought  the  protection 
of  the  patent  ofiice,  and  in  the  year  1841  secured  let- 
ters patent  on  eight  classes  of  bee-hives,  intending, 
as  fj^r  as  possible,  to  cover  the  whole  ground ;  but  in 
doing  this,  he  only  laid  the  foundation  for  as  many 
more  hives  as  these  would  make,  multiplied  into  their 
own  number. 

Every  stratagem  which  could  be  made  to  appear 
plausible,  was  resorted  to  by  the  various  patentees, 


132  HISTORY   OF    6ALI8BUEY. 

and  by  their  agents,  to  supersede  each  other  in  the 
sales  of  their  rights — neither  having  much  regard  to 
truth,  in  making  assertions  which  might  promote  their 
own  interests. 

Finally,  it  was  found  that  the  patent  office  was  not 
willing  to  grant  patents  on  drawers  or  boxes,  unlesg 
in  connection  with  other  parts  of  a  hive  which  might 
be  new  and  valuable  ;  and  as  the  great  improvement 
in  bee-hives  consisted  principally  in  its  drawers,  the 
number  of  applications  in  this  department  began  to 
diminish.  Undoubtedly  the  drawers  are  the  princi- 
pal improvement  in  bee-hives  which  can  be  made 
over  the  old-fashioned  box,  or  tub ;  and,  at  this  day, 
a  patent  on  these  is  of  little  use  to  the  inventor,  as 
our  patentees  will  testify — for  none  have  been  the  re- 
cipients of  any  great  profits  arising  from  a  patent  on 
them. 

The  first  saw-mill  in  this  town  was  erected  by  Col. 
Thomas  Sawyer,  in  1783.  A  grist-mill  was  also  put 
up  in  the  same  building,  and  set  in  successful  opera- 
tion early  in  the  year  1784.  These  mills  were  after- 
ward repaired,  and,  if  the  author  is  correctly  informed, 
were  at  least  once  rebuilt. 

The  first  forge  was  also  erected  by  Mr.  Sawyer,  in 
1791.  Samuel  Keep  was  his  first  bloomer,  and  Ste- 
phen Gill  made  his  first  coal,  and  rendered  him  some 
other  assistance  in  making  iron. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  133 

E'athaniel  Chafey  erected  the  first  trip-hammer 
shop,  a  little  below  the  place  now  occupied  by  Ches- 
ter Kingsley's  woolen  factory.  Mr.  Chafey  erected 
this  shop  about  the  year  1794:,  and  was  a  celebrated 
axe  maker. 

Another  trip-hammer  shop  was  put  up  by  John 
Doming,  about  the  year  1795,  but  it  was  afterward 
converted  into  a  shovel  factory. 

In  1811  a  charter  was  granted  by  the  legislature  of 
the  state  for  the  manufactory  of  glass,  to  Ep.  Jones 
and  other  individuals,  and  accordingly  a  glass  factory 
was  put  up  on  the  western  shore  of  Lake  Dunmore. 
in  the  following  year,  which  went  into  successful  op- 
eration under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Jones,  in  1813. 
About  forty  operatives  were  employed  in  this  factory 
several  years.  So  great  was  the  business  done  by  it, 
that  money  was  made  more  plenty  among  us,  a  good 
home  market  was  furnished  for  a  part  of  our  agricul- 
tural products,  and  all  kinds  of  business  rendered 
more  active. 

As  the  company  made  their  deposits  at  the  Farmers* 
Bank  of  Troy,  New  York,  they  issued  orders  in  the 
form  of  bank  bills,  which  were  stamped  and  struck 
off  on  bank-bill  paper,  and  were  in  denominations  of 
$1.00,  $1.25,  $1.50,  $1.75,  $2.00,  and  $3.00.  These 
bills,  or  rather  orders,  were  equally  current  with  any 
other  bank-bills  for  a  number  of  years. 
11* 


134  HISTORY   OF   SALISBUBT. 

But  owing  to  the  sudden  changes  in  the  prices  of 
glass,  and  other  unforeseen  casualties  which  took  place 
at  the  close  of  the  war  with  Great  Britain  in  1816, 
tlie  company  was  compelled  to  wind  up  its  business, 
leaving  at  the  same  time  a  valuable  property  in  lands, 
glass-factory  buildings,  and  other  appendages,  useless 
for  any  purposes  except  for  making  glass. 

As  the  Farmers'  Bank,  at  Troy,  New  York,  had  at 
this  time  refused  to  redeem  any  more  of  the  glass- 
factory  bills,  the  creditors  of  the  company  and  holders 
of  bills  undertook  to  secure  themselves  by  attach- 
ments which  finally  swept  the  entire  property. 

Eliakim  Weeks  rebuilt  the  saw-mill  in  the  village 
in  1814,  and  Christopher  Johnson  rebuilt  the  grist- 
mill the  same  year. 

About  the  year  1815  a  number  of  individuals  liv- 
ing in  Salisbury  and  vicinity  procured  a  charter  from 
the  legislature  of  the  state  forming  a  company  to 
manufacture  cotton  cloths.  The  stock  in  this  com- 
pany was  chiefly  taken  by  the  farmers  in  this  and 
neighboring  towns,  and  by  mechanics  in  the  village.  A 
factory  building  was  erected  on  the  site  where  Chester 
Kingsley's  woolen  factory  now  stands,  under  the  guid- 
ance of  John  Whiting,  who  was  made  their  agent. 
But  as  many  of  the  stockholders  were  unacquainted 
with  the  business  of  manufacturing  cotton,  and  as  mat- 
ters concerning  the  management  of  the  factory  by  the 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY.  135 

agent  were  disapproved  by  some  of  the  companj, 
many  concluded  to  forfeit  what  they  had  ah-eady  paid, 
yield  up  their  shares,  and  make  no  further  outlay. 
But  as  the  company  disapproved  of  this  course,  a  great 
number  of  suits  were  commenced  in  our  courts  against 
these  individuals,  to  compel  the  payment  of  the  sev- 
eral assessments  on  their  shares.  Most  of  the  subscri- 
bers for  stock,  fearing  the  law,  settled  up  and  paid 
their  assessments,  while  others,  more  wise,  went  to 
trial,  and  were  cleared  from  further  responsibility. 
Many  of  the  stockholders  in  this  company  became 
bankrupt  and  left  the  place,  and  those  remaining  were 
unable,  for  want  of  means,  to  furnish  machinery  and 
raw  materials  to  go  on  with  the  work ;  so  the  whole 
property  changed  owners  in  1823.  A  year  or  two 
afterward,  other  machinery  was  procured,  and  a  lim- 
ited business  in  cotton  and  woolen  manufacture  was 
carried  on  by  Peter  Lever,  until  the  factory  was 
burnt,  which  occurred  in  1827.  This  fire  closed  the 
cotton  factory  speculation  in  this  town. 

This  factory  was  not  without  its  use  in  town ;  for, 
although  it  never  proved  a  very  profitable  underta- 
king to  those  immediately  interested  in  it,  yet  it  gave 
employment,  as  all  sueli  works  do,  to  the  poor,  and 
afi^brded  a  temporary  market  to  all. 

The  trip-hammer  shop  in  the  village,  which  had 
done  a  good  service  for  many  years  in  hammering 


136  HISTOKY    OF    SALISBUBT. 

iron  for  its  various  uses,  in  the  year  1813  was  con- 
verted into  a  shovel  factory. 

From  this  factory  several  thousands  of  these  useful 
implements,  of  a  superior  kind,  were  sent  out  an- 
nually for  many  years. 

Here  many  hands  have  found  profitable  employ- 
ment, and  from  this  source  much  benefit  and  profit 
has  accrued  to  the  town  and  to  the  surrounding 
country. 

New  York  markets  have  had  some  portion  of  their 
supply  of  shovels  from  this  factory,  and  most  of  the 
towns  in  Western  Vermont  have  come  here  to  com- 
plete their  stock. 

Like  other  manufactories  in  this  country,  this  has 
had  its  reverses ;  it  has  been  stopped  for  short  periods, 
but  only  to  commence  again,  and  although  it  is  now 
at  rest,  we  hope  and  expect  to  see  it  in  full  and  suc- 
cessful operation  before  many  days. 

About  the  year  1S32,  Geo.  Chipman  and  one  or 
two  other  enterprising  young  men,  repaired  the  old 
glass  factory  buildings  at  Lake  Dunmore,  and  ex- 
pended thereon  quite  a  large  sum  of  money.  The 
factory  and  its  collateral  buildings,  and  also  the  dwel- 
ling houses  (about  a  dozen  in  number),  which  had 
been  put  up  at  this  place,  were  at  this  time  in  a  de- 
caying condition,  for  they  had  remained  unoccupied 
more  than  a  dozen  years,  during  which  time  they  had 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  137 

also  received  much  injury  from  the  depredations  of 
unprincipled  visitors. 

To  these  buildings,  well  repaired,  were  added  a 
new  and  convenient  tavern,  with  a  good  barn  and 
other  buildings  necessary  for  the  convenience  of  vis- 
itors and  of  the  operators  in  the  factory,  which  was 
again  set  in  successful  operation. 

The  factory  was  now  managed  with  some  profit, 
until  about  the  tenth  year,  when  foreign  competition 
reduced  the  price  of  glass  so  much  that  the  manufac- 
ture of  it,  in  this  town,  could  not  any  longer  be  made 
profitable.  And  since  the  spring  of  1842,  the  old 
glass  factory  property  has,  for  the  most  part,  been 
used  for  agricultural  purposes,  or  as  a  resort  for 
pleasure  seekers. 

In  1853,  this  glass  factory  property  w^as  purchased 
by  E.  D.  Barber,  of  Middlebury,  Vermont,  and  soon 
after,  through  his  agency,  a  stock  company,  called 
the  Lake  Dunmore  Hotel  Company,  was  formed,  and 
the  moneys  thereof  appropriated  to  the  building  of  a 
magnificent  hotel  and  the  purchase  of  accompanying 
lands. 

The  tavern  above  referred  to  was  taken  down  to 
make  room  for  its  more  commodious  successor ;  the 
old  glass  factory  buildings  were  no  longer  allowed  to 
stand,  biit  made  to  give  up  their  place  to  the  graded 
walk  and  the  more  sightly  greensward ;  the  old  cot- 


138  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

tages  were  repaired  or  new  ones  built — and  in  all 
things  the  art  of  the  place  began  to  be  less  ashamed 
of  the  grandeur  and  beauty  of  its  surrounding  scenery. 

But  in  making  all  this  improvement  an  immense 
outlay  was  made — the  company  became  insolvent — 
the  property  was  mortgaged,  and  finally  passed  into 
the  hands  of  Messrs.  Jones,  Pratt,  Wood  and  Dodge, 
of  Florida. 

In  1833,  Hinsdale  Mc  Hurd  built  a  small  woolen 
factory  on  the  ground  previously  occupied  by  the  cot- 
ton factory,  and  manufactured  the  first  woolen  cloths 
made  by  machinery. 

This  factory  was  burnt  down  in  1843,  but  was  re- 
built during  the  same  year  on  a  more  extensive  scale, 
by  Henry  "W.  Walker,  and  has  continued  in  success- 
ful operation,  in  different  hands,  up  to  the  present 
time. 

Forty-nine  thousand  yards  of  cloth  were  made  in 
this  factory  in  1849,  and  its  present  capabilities  arc 
such,  it  is  said,  that  it  might  manufacture  more  than 
twice  that  number  of  yards,  every  year. 

Subsequently,  a  forge  was  erected  by  A.  B.  Hunt- 
ly,  a  young  and  enterprising  man,  near  the  eastern 
part  of  the  Indian  Garden,  and  on  the  stream  which 
flows  from  Lake  Dunraore. 

Tliis  forge  was  built  on  the  most  approved  modern 
plan,  and  was  capable  of  doing  an  extensive  business. 


HISTOKY    OF    SALISBURY.  139 

A  good  number  of  hands  here  found  a  profitable 
employment  for  several  years;  but  the  expense  of 
building  having  been  very  great,  and  the  reduction 
in  the  price  of  iron,  on  account  of  foreign  competi- 
tion, rendering  Mr.  Iluntly  unable  to  meet  the  ex- 
pense of  carrying  on  his  business,  after  having  made 
a  few  hundred  tons  of  excellent  iron,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  give  up  his  business  and  to  surrender  his 
property  to  the  grasp  of  his  creditors. 

Mr.  Huntley  has  since  left  the  town  and  settled  in 
Brandon,  though  it  was  hoped  with  great  confidence, 
that  he  would  overcome  his  pecuniary  difEculties 
here,  and  again  put  the  forge  in  operation. 

This  forge  has  for  several  years  been  successfully 
managed  by  Israel  Davy,  its  present  owner. 

In  1851,  Ebenezer  Weeks  and  James  Fitts,  jr.,  put 
up  a  grist-mill  in  Salisbury  village,  which  has  been  a 
great  convenience  to  the  town.  This  mill  was  made 
after  the  most  modern  plan,  and  fitted  throughout 
with  new  machinery. 

Mr.  Weeks  afterward  sold  out  his  interest  in  the 
concern  to  Mr.  Fitts,  who  in  turn  sold  to  E.  A.  Ham- 
ilton, its  present  owner. 

The  following  table  contains  the  names  of  mechan- 
ics in  town,  as  appears  from  the  census  of  1850.  It 
also  shows  the  locality  of  each  : 


140 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 


NAMES. 

Charles  Eager, 

NO. 

1J18T. 

4 

NAMKS. 

Seymour  Waterhouse, 

KO. 
DIRT. 

Ethuel  Collins, 

4 

Sumner  Briggs, 

5 

Oscar  Waterhouse, 

5 

Stephen  Woodbury, 

5 

Nehemiah  Fayson, 

5 

^  Wm.  Waterhouse, 

5 

Epinetus  Brush, 

C) 

Aaron  Barrows, 

5 

Lorin  Holman, 

5 

Martin  Allen, 

4 

Darius  Holman, 

5 

Marshall  Holman, 

5 

Charles  I.  Soper, 

5 

Francis  Carey, 

5 

Caleb  Holman, 

5 

Nathaniel  R.  Field, 

5 

Amos  King, 

4 

Samuel  Thomas, 

5 

Demetrius  Crampton, 

5 

Samuel  Ranno, 

1 

Horace  W.  Sheldon, 

_i 

Royal  Graves, 

1 

Peter  M.  T.  Powell, 

1 

Francis  Ranno, 

1 

G-eorge  Eager, 

4 

EUery  Howard, 

5 

Peter  W.  Baird, 

5 

Henry  Dewey, 

G 

Henry  W.  Walker, 

5 

Harvey  Savery, 

5 

Wm.  Severance, 

4 

Seymour  Waterhouse, 

.1 

Jacob  Chase, 

5 

Keros  Howard, 

5 

Almon  Briggs, 

5 

Wm.  Chase, 

5 

Charles  Miriam, 

5 

Wm.  Deming, 

5 

Jefferson  Thomas, 

4 

Charles  Filley, 

.") 

Moses  Doming, 

5 

Marshall  Cloyes, 

.■» 

Kendal  Savery, 

5 

Caleb  Paige, 

:j 

Alvah  Moosman, 

2 

Horace  Sessions, 

1 

Uriel  E.  Beach, 

5 

Wm.  K.  Savery, 

I 

Alfred  Pierce, 

2 

Many  of  these  mechanics  have  manifested  great 
skill  in  their  art,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  complete 
workmanship  and  finish  of  the  varions  articles  which 
have  come  from  their  hands. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  141 


CHAPTER  :xin. 

SCENERY.  —  LAKE     DUNMORE.  —  CURIOSITIES.  —  INDIAN 
TRACES. 

The  face  of  the  country  in  Salisbury,  like  that  of 
most  ]N"ew  England  towns,  is  of  a  very  diversified 
character. 

Few  towns  have  so  great  and  interesting  a  variety 
of  scenery  as  Salisbury.  Its  waters  assume  the  varied 
forms  of  falls,  cascades  and  meandering  streams,  or 
seek  repose  in  the  bosom  of  its  beautiful  lake.  Its 
mountains,  which  rise  in  pride  in  the  east,  overlook 
its  gradual  and  broken  descent  to  the  west.  Its  hills, 
crowned  with  trees,  or  bright  with  the  husbandman's 
ripening  grain — its  valleys,  bespotted  with  flocks  and 
herds — all  combine  to  form  the  most  beautiful  land- 
scapes. 

But  that  spot  most  sought  by  those  who  "  hold 
communion  with  nature's  visible  forms,"  is  Lake 
Dunmore  and  its  vicinity. 

This  lake  lies  in  the  south-east  part  of  the  town, 
and  covers,  as  is  estimated,  about  fourteen  hundred 
acres,  and  extends  some  distance  into  Leicester.     Its 

12 


142  HISTORY   OF   SALI8BTJBT.    ^ 

level  is  three  hundred  and  fifty-eight  feet  above  that 
of  the  sea,  its  extreme  length  about  five  miles,  and 
its  greatest  width  a  little  moj;e  than  one  mile.  Its 
shores  are  very  irregular,  and  are  strikingly  marked 
by  long  curving  bays  and  sudden  indents,  and  by 
rocky  prominent  points  and  gentle  slopes. 

It  has  but  one  main  inlet,  which  is  Lana  river,  (in 
fact,  its  waters  are  mostly  from  the  springs  of  the 
adjacent  mountains),  and  has  but  one  outlet,  which 
forms  the  stream  which  flows  through  Salisbury  vil- 
lage. 

Its  average  depth  is  about  sixty  feet,  though  sound- 
ings of  more  than  a  hundred  feet  have  been  made. 

Joel  W.  Andrews,  of  Albany,  ITew  York,  recently 
visited  this  lake,  and  made  the  following  observa- 
tions : 

The  temperature  of  the  air  being  73°, 

At  the  surface  of  the  water  the  temperature  was  69°, 

At  depth  of  fifty-three  feet  45°, 

*'  seventy-five  feet  41°. 

The  temperature  of  the  water  at  the  greatest  depth 
has  not  yet  been  tried,  but  these  observations  show 
that,  at  the  depth  of  seventy-five  feet,  the  temperature 
is  only  nine  degrees  above  freezing  point. 

The  lake  is  surrounded  by  mountains  and  high- 
lands, the  loftiest  of  which,  called  Moosalamoo,  has 
an  altitude  of  1959  feet,  and  the  southerly  peak,  com- 


^^    HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  143 

monly  known  as  Kattlesnake  point,  by  barometric 
measurement,  is  1319  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
lake.* 

The  beauty  of  this  lake  and  of  the  scenery  which 
surrounds  it  cannot  be  surpassed  in  this  state. 

It  has  for  many  years  been  the  favorite  resort  of 
the  lovers  of  the  picturesque  and  beautiful,  but  has 
been  more  especially  brought  into  notice  within  the 
last  few  years  by  the  efforts  of  the  present  owners  of 
what  is  known  as  the  Lake  Dunmore  property,  and 
by  their  more  liberal  improvement  of  the  hotel  and 
its  accompaniments,  and  by  their  more  generous  en- 
tertainment of  friends. 

To  the  east  rises  Moosalamoo,  and  yet  nearer  the 
lake,  the  Gnomon  (Kattlesnake  Point),  which  seems 
to  lift  the  clouds  to  protect  the  crystal  plain  below. 

On  the  western  slope  of  Moosalamoo,  and  about 
fifty  rods  from  the  shore  of  the  lake,  is  Warner's 
Cave,  so  noted  a  spot  in  the  history  of  the  Green 
Mountain  Boys. 

A  little  to  the  south  of  the  Gnomon  rises  a  con- 
tinuous forest-covered  hill,  to  the  natural  solitude  and 
romance  of  which  is  added  the  associations  of  some 


*  Those  facts  relating  to  Lake  Dunmore  and  its  surround- 
ings have  been  kindly  furnished  by  Mr.  E.  Jones,  one  of  the 
present  owners  of  the  old  glass  factory  property. 


144  HISTORY  OF   SALISBURY. 

of  the  most  thrilling  incidents  of  the  pioneers  of  this 
country ;  and  still  further  to  the  south  the  eye  follows 
the  range  of  mountains  and  its  adjacent  hills,  until  all 
are  lost  in  the  distance. 

Near  the  centre  of  the  lake  is  an  island,  known  as 
Pleasure  Island,  containing  about  one  third  of  an  acre 
of  land. 

On  the  north  rises  the  lofty  summit  of  Mount  Bry- 
ant, and  on  the  west  stands  Sunset  Hill.  The  height 
of  the  former,  above  the  level  of  the  lake,  is  five  hun- 
dred and  fifty-three  feet,  and  that  of  the  latter,  three 
hundred  and  seventy-five  feet.  The  ascent  of  these 
two  summits  is  easy,  and  on  the  top  of  the  former 
stands  a  high  rock,  which,  from  the  magnificent 
views  it  commands,  is  called  Prospect  Rock. 

On  the  western  shore,  east  of  Sunset  Hill,  is  the 
hotel  and  the  hamlet.  Here  are  to  be  found  the  va- 
rious means  of  entertainment  and  diversion,  suited 
to  the  wants  of  the  epicure,  the  lover  of  nature,  the 
artist  or  the  sportsman. 

The  scenery  about  Lake  Dunmore  is  of  that  char- 
acter which  is  rarely  found.  It  combines  sublimity 
with  beauty.  On  the  one  hand  are  immense  masses 
of  rocks  and  earth  which  nothing  can  move,  and  on 
the  other  the  fugitive  beauty  of  changing  light  and 
shade.  The  majesty  of  the  cloud-capped  mountain  is 
here  associated  with  the  imdulating  curve,  and  the 


HISTOET   OF   SALISBITRT.  145 

awe  of  the  precipice  relieved  by  the  laughing  of 
the  waters. 

From  the  mountains  on  the  east  may  be  seen  some 
of  the  most  beautiful  and  extensive  landscapes.  Here, 
at  a  single  sight  is  presented  a  territory  extending 
west,  far  beyond  Lake  Champlain,  to  the  Adirondac 
Mountains,  in  New  York,  and  to  the  north  and  to 
the  south,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  Here,  on  a 
clear  day,  is  afforded  a  view  which,  in  its  variety  and 
unity,  is  seldom  equaled.  Embracing  as  it  does  so 
many  thousands  of  acres,  variegated  by  the  alternate 
works  of  God  and  man,  its  hills  and  vales,  its  forests 
and  cultivated  fields,  its  streams  and  lakes,  its  church 
spires  and  villages,  it  presents  a  landscape  which  the 
imagination  could  hardly  excel. 

From  these  mountains  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
instances  of  mirage  was  once  observed.  "  Lake  Cham- 
plain  was  seen  to  rise  and  widen  out,  so  that  the  in- 
tervening hills  appeared  like  islands,  and  finally  all 
these  hills  disappeared  by  being  swallowed  up  by 
the  mighty  flood  which  seemed  rapidly  covering  up 
this  whole  landscape  territory,  and  soon  appeared  like 
one  vast  lake  of  water  from  Burlington  to  Benson. 
Trees  standing  on  the  slope  of  the  mountain  waded 
in  the  water,  while  others  lower  down  and  nearer 
its  base,  were  entirely  covered  and  out  of  sight. 
Burlington,  though  never  before  seen  at  this  place, 

12* 


146  HISTORY   OF   SALISBUBT. 

even  with  a  telescope,  now  was  in  perfect  view,  and 
all  natural  points,  as  well  as  artificial  monuments, 
forts  and  other  buildings  on  Lake  Champlain,  were 
most  distinctly  visible  to  the  naked  eye.  This  at- 
mospheric refraction  took  place  about  the  20th  of 
August,  1833,  and  was  doubtless  produced  by  the 
rays  of  the  sun  passing  under  a  long,  narrow,  black 
cloud  (as  described  by  one  of  the  witnesses)  which 
hung  in  the  west  just  before  night.  The  weather  was 
very  hot,  and  the  air  was  remarkably  clear." 

It  is  said  that  one  of  the  men  who  witnessed  this 
wonderful  sight  became  so  terrified  at  seeing  the  wa- 
ter rising  to  the  higher  points  of  the  slope  of  the 
mountain,  that  he  began  to  doubt  that  the  "  bow  in 
the  east "  was  a  "  true  sign  "  that  the  world  should 
not  again  be  inundated  in  a  general  flood ;  and  after 
all  was  passed,  begged  his  companion  not  to  describe 
the  phenomenon  to  others  lest  so  strange  and  mar- 
velous a  story  might  make  them  a  laughing  stock 
among  the  people. 

These  mountains  have  been  so  much  sought  by  the 
pleasure  seeker  and  the  hunter  that  its  scenes  are  re- 
plete with  interesting  incidents  and  adventures. 

Many  of  the  older  inhabitants  have  here  hunted 
the  bear  and  chased  the  deer,  and  even  remember  often 
to  have  seen  the  deer,  when  pursued  by  dogs,  has- 
tening from  the  mountain  and  seeking  temporary 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  14T 

refuge  in  the  lake  (its  own  instinct  seeming  to  point 
out  this  way  as  the  easiest  to  thwart  the  scent  of  the 
dogs),  and  then  escaping  from  some  extreme  point  to 
the  swamps  or  mountains,  unless  perchance  captured 
by  the  hunters  in  boats.^ 

The  natural  curiosities  of  Salisbury,  purely  as  such, 
are  not  many. 

"  Warner's  Cave,"  before  referred  to,  is  an  object  of 
no  little  interest,  not  only  on  account  of  its  own  pe- 
culiar make  and  appearance,  but  for  the  associations 
given  it  by  the  vivid  though  somewhat  extravagant 
imagination  of  the  author  of  the  "  Green  Mountain 

*  It  shiould  have  been  remarked,  when  speaking  of  the  waters 
of  Lake  Dunmore,  that  it  is  a  notorious  fact  that,  notwith- 
standing the  great  numbers  of  visitors  who  have  sought  this 
lake  for  the  past  seventy  years,  for  hunting,  or  fishing,  or 
sailing  or  other  purposes,  but  two  or  three  persons  have  been 
drowned  in  it,  and  these  had  laid  in  the  water  a  great  length  of 
time  before  they  could  be  rescued. 

Resuscitation  depends  very  much  upon  the  pureness  of  the 
water  in  which  strangulation  takes  place.  The  water  of  Otter 
creek  appears  to  have  a  poisonous  effect,  and  produces  in  the 
drowning  person  sudden  mental  derangement. 

Attempts  at  resuscitation  of  persons  who  have  laid  in  this 
water  but  for  a  few  minutes  are,  in  most  cases,  unavailing, 
while  many  have  been  brought  to  life  who  had  laid  for  a  long 
time  insensible  in  the  water  of  Lake  Dunmore,  and  of  the 
streams  which  flow  into  and  out  of  it. 


148  *••  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

Boys."  "  It  is  a  large  rock  lying  isolated  on  a  small 
level  space  on  the  side  of  the  mountain,  with  an  en- 
trance in  the  side  into  a  room  in  which  a  person  can 
stand  erect,  and  which  is  large  enough  to  contain  a 
company  of  fifteen  or  twenty  persons." 

How  this  rock  came  here,  or  how  its  cavity  was 
made,  is  a  matter  of  conjecture;  though  the  more 
common  opinion  is,  that  it  was  hollowed  out  by  the 
Indians,  as  a  place  of  temporary  security. 

Near  this  cave  are  two  small  ovens,  which  perhaps 
are  objects  of  more  interest  than  the  cave. 

These  ovens  are  about  the  size  of  a  small  brick 
oven,  such  as  is  used  for  baking  bread.  They  appear 
to  be  made  with  great  skill,  from  the  solid  rock, 
though  no  mark  of  a  chisel  or  other  instrument  is 
found  upon  them. 

One  of  them  is  a  detached  stone,  the  base  of  which 
being  of  the  same  width  with  the  oven  itself,  has  a 
square  pedestal  about  two  and  a  half  feet  high. 

Neither  of  them  appear  to  have  been  heated,  and, 
in  fact,  are  of  a  kind  of  stone  which  will  not  bear 
great  heat  without  breaking. 

It  cannot  be  doubted  that  Indians,  at  no  very  re- 
mote period,  lived  in  this  town,  for  some  slight  re- 
mains of  their  settlements  are  to  be  found  in  many 
localities. 

The  Indian  names  of  some  of  the  streams  and  bod- 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBUET.  149 

ies  of  water  are  yet  retained  by  the  desceudants  of 
these  Indian  tribes.  For  instance,  Lake  Dunmore 
was  called  Mo-sa-la-moo  {Lake  of  the  Silve7'  Trout)^ 
and  Otter  creek  Woon-e-gee-ka-tooh^  sometimes  pro- 
nounced WuTh-eg-e-que-tuck. 

It  has  been  said  by  some  of  the  early  inhabitants, 
that  at  an  early  day  remnants  of  an  Indian  dwelling 
were  found  attached  to  "  Warner's  Cave."  It  is  not 
unlikely  that  the  Indians  used  this  cave  for  a  store- 
house, or  for  some  similar  purpose,  but  there  is  no  evi- 
dence that  it  was  of  any  further  use,  unless  it  might 
be  to  serve  as  a  retreat  for  a  few  individuals,  in  case 
of  the  approach  of  an  enemy. 

Indian  arrows  are  occasionally  found  on  all  the 
ridge-lands,  and  on  the  intervals  of  Otter  creek. 
Here  many  crude  earthen  vessels,  apparently  once 
used  in  cooking,  have  been  plowed  up.  So,  also,  on 
the  high  interval  lands  near  Middlebury  river,  many 
articles  of  Indian  manufacture  have  been  discovered 
— for  instance,  an  earthen  kettle,  found  j  ust  below  the 
surface  of  the  ground,  of  sufficient  size  to  hold  three 
or  four  pails  of  water.  This  kettle  was  entire,  until 
unfortunately  broken  by  running  the  plow  into  it 
when  it  was  discovered.  It  was  made  of  brick,  or 
of  earthen  material,  and  of  far  superior  quality  to 
any  of  the  earthen  ware  made  in  this  county  at  the 
present  time. 


150  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

A  hammer,  also,  made  of  stone,  showing  great  skill 
in  its  manufacture,  has  been  picked  up,  and  many 
other  utensils  used  for  domestic  purposes. 

At  the  Indian  Garden  before  mentioned,  a  little 
east  of  Salisbury  village,  many  articles  of  Indian  pro- 
duction have  been  picked  up,  among  which  we  might 
mention  arrows,  pestles,  and  dishes  for  various  pur- 
poses, though  mostly  in  a  broken  state. 

It  is  supposed  that  Wolf  Hill  was  once  the  favorite 
resort  and  dwelling  place  of  the  Indians.* 

This  locality  appears  to  have  been  remarkably  con- 
genial to  the  tastes  and  habits  of  these  people,  sur- 
rounded as  it  was,  by  swamps,  and  covered,  on  all  its 
sides,  with  dense  forests.  There  being  no  living  water 
on  this  hill,  the  spring  of  triangular  form,  before  men- 
tioned (which  is  in  this  vicinity),  was  undoubtedly 
their  watering  place. 

*  This  hill  stands  on  the  farm  of  Mark  Ranney,  east  of  his 
house,  and  was  called  by  the  early  surveyors,  *' Stony  Hill;" 
but  its  name  was  soon  changed  to  that  of  "Wolf  Hill,"  from 
the  fact  that  so  many  wolves  were  taken  here.  This  capture 
of  wolves  was  made  by  forming  lines  of  men  about  the  hill,  at 
a  considerable  distance  from  its  base,  and  then  marching  to 
the  top,  driving  the  wolves  before  them.  As  this  line  of  men 
neared  the  top  of  the  hill,  of  course  the  circumference  of  the 
ring  they  formed,  and  the  distances  between  the  men  became 
less,  until  the  wolves  were  so  completely  and  securely  encom- 
passed that  they  were  easily  killed. 


HISTORY  OF   SALISBURY.  151 

There  are  two  places  in  town  where  the  fire-places 
of  the  Indians  have  not  been  disturbed.  Both  are 
near  the  stream  which  flows  through  the  village — the 
one  is  near  the  outlet  of  Lake  Dunmore,  and  the  other 
some  distance  below  the  village. 

The  only  certain  evidence  that  the  Indians  once  had 
their  residence  in  .these  places,  consists  in  the  peculiar 
manner  in  which  the  stones  are  laid.  But  as  frost 
soon  disturbs  these  fixtures,  hundreds  of  them  might 
be  passed  over,  unrecognized. 


152  HISTOKT   OF   SALISBUEY. 


CHAPTEK  XIY. 

STATISTICS  OF  TAXATION. — MILITARY  ENLISTMENT. ^DIS- 
EASES.— DEATHS. — PKOFESSIONAL  MEN. — HOTEL  KEEP- 
ERS.— MERCHANTS. CRIME. — DIVORCES. 

It  not  having  been  the  custom  of  the  town  clerk 
to  record  the  yearly  expenses  of  supporting  the  poor, 
or  of  building  and  sustaining  bridges,  it  is  impossible 
to  give  a  statistical  account  of  these  expenses. 

A  few  reports  of  the  selectmen,  picked  up  among 
loose  papers,  show  the  expense  of  supporting  the  poor 
to  have  been,  in 

1821, 
1824, 
1831, 
1845, 
1847, 
1848, 

During  the  building  of  the  railroad,  in  1848  and  1849, 
184:9,  the  expenses  of  the  town  were  somewhat  increased 
by  railroad  paupers.  Expenses  of  making  roads  and 
building  bridges,  in  the  early  settlement  of  the  town, 
were   principally  defrayed   by  taxes  on  the  land, 


$127  57 

1850, 

$262  76 

174  27 

1855, 

176  59 

180  52 

1856, 

230  42 

243  89 

1857, 

236  11 

J217  86 

1858, 

193  02 

285  15 

HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  153 

through  special  legislation,  and  no  tax  was  made  on 
the  grand  list  to  exceed  eight  mills  on  the  dollar, 
until  1806. 

On  examining  the  town  records,  the  following  facts 
are  found  : 

In  March,  ]  802,  voted  to  raise  a  tax  of  eight  mills  on  a  dollar. 
u        1803,  »i         "         '♦        fire  "  " 

"         1804,  no  action  on  the  subject, 
*'         1805,  voted  to  raise  a  tax  of  three  mills  on  a  dollar. 

1806,  "         "         •'  ten  *♦  '' 

"        1807,  '♦         '♦        *'         two  ♦'  " 

"        1803,  no  action  on  the  subject. 

1809, 
"        1810,  voted  to  raise  a  tax  of  ten  mills  on  a  dollar. 

Since  the  year  1810,  the  expenses  of  the  town  have 
increased  about  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  popu- 
lation, and  within  that  time  the  grand  list  has  under- 
gone so  many  legal  changes  in  matters  of  taxation, 
that  to  follow  them  through  and  here  give  a  detailed 
account  of  them,  would  be  both  uninteresting  and 
useless. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  soldiers  from  Salisbury, 
who  enlisted  and  went  into  the  war  of  1812,  known  as 
the  Madison  war. 

Lieut.  Walter  Shelden,  son  of  Moses  Shelden,  returned. 

John  Morton,  jr.,  "       Dea.  John  Morton,     returned. 

John  Brown,  M.  D. 

John  Brown,  jr.,  son  of  John  Brown,  M,  D. 

13 


164: 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURT. 


Chester  Loveland. 

Weeks  Copeland, 

son  of  Wiliam  Copeland, 

returned. 

Eliakim  Sprague, 

"       Benj.  Sprague, 

Isaac  Wells, 

*'       John  Wells, 

returned. 

Daniel  Bemis, 

♦'      Abel  Bemis, 

returned. 

Joshua  Graves, 

•'       Chancey  Graves, 

returned. 

George  Ray, 

returned. 

Jacob  Chase, 

son  of  Daniel  Chase, 

returned. 

Stephen  Gilbert, 

Milton  Race, 

son  of  John  Race, 

returned. 

The  above  list  of  names  includes  those  only  who 
enlisted  into  the  regular  service.  Many  others  volun- 
teered when  the  country  was  invaded,  and  aided 
the  American  army  in  the  defeat  of  the  British  at 
Plattsburg  in  1814,  and  also  turned  out  on  other  oc- 
casions. 

To  defray  the  expenses  of  the  war,  a  direct  tax  was 
levied  and  collected  in  1814,  1815  and  1816. 

The  records  show  the  following  facts  :  "  Paid 
George  Cleaveland,  collector  for  the  fourth  collection 
district  of  Vermont, 


In  1814, 
In  1815, 
In  1816, 


Amount, 


$426  92 
694  82 
415  22 

$1,536  96' 


Beside  this  tax,  ammunition  and  other  supplies 
were  furnished  the  militia,  at  the  expense  of  the  town. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBUBY.  155 

Once  or  twice  the  whole  company  were  called  out  on 
extra  service,  which  must  have  made  some  addi- 
tional expense,  but  there  is  no  record  which  tells  the 
amount. 

A  post  office  was  established  in  Salisbury,  January 
81st,  1801,  and  was  located  at  the  village.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  list  of  its  post  masters,  with  the  time  of 
the  appointment  of  each. 

Patrick  Johnson,  January    31,  1801  to  October    10,  1809. 

Jacob  Linsly,  October     10,  1809  to  February  20,  1815. 

Austin  Johnson,  February  20,  1815  to  December  29, 1817. 

John  M.  Weeks,  December  29, 1817  to  December  28, 1824. 

Harvey  Deming,  December  28, 1824  to  August    19,    1847. 

John  Prout,  August      19,  1847  to  September27, 1847. 

Abram  B.  Huntly,  September  27,  1847  to  September  24, 1851. 

Sumner  Briggs,  September  24, 1851  to  October           1852. 

William  Rustin,  October  1852  to  December  29, 1854. 
Keros  K.  Howard,  December  29, 1854. 

Mr.  Howard  has  held  the  office  up  to  the  present 
time. 

Another  post-office  was  established  in  the  west  part 
of  the  town,  under  the  name  of  West  Salisbury,  July 
19th,  1860.  J.  S.  Messer  was  appointed  the  first  post- 
master, and  was  succeeded  by  Eoyal  D.  Iledden,  who 
holds  the  office  at  the  present  time. 

Of  diseases  and  deaths,  it  is  to  be  regretted  but  few 
records  have  been  made  until  very  recently.     What- 


156  HI8TOBY    OF   SALISBURY. 

ever  is  written  of  these  must  be  gathered  mostly  from 
memory,  and  from  the  testimony  of  old  inhabitants. 

The  first  diseases  were,  fever  and  ague,  canker- 
rash,  dysentery,  and  fever  of  the  milder  forms.  These 
diseases  seldom  proved  fatal,  until  about  the  com- 
mencement of  the  present  century.  About  this  time 
many  children  died  with  dysentery.  With  the  change 
of  climate  which  occurred  about  this  period,  came 
other  diseases,  prominent  among  which  was  consump- 
tion. This  insidious  disease,  in  its  various  forms,  has 
taken  its  great  share  from  among  the  inhabitants  of 
the  town,  and  seems  to  have  been  constantly  increas- 
ing, from  the  time  of  its  first  appearance. 

Fever  and  ague  began  to  disappear,  about  the  year 
1800;  and  as  it  gradually  went  away,  other  fevers 
seemed  to  take  a  better  hold.  About  this  time,  it  is 
said,  a  few  cases  of  spotted  fever  occurred. 

Lung  fever  made  its  first  appearance  in  1812,  and 
became  a  very  general  epidemic. 

Previous  to  this,  the  coldest  season  of  the  year  was 
considered  the  most  healthful ;  but  in  the  winter  of 
1812  and  1813,  at  every  colder  change  in  the  weather, 
as  the  season  advanced,  new  cases  of  thjs  almost  fatal 
epidemic  were  known.  It  took  from  us  many  of  our 
most  valuable  citizens,  not  only  from  this,  but  from 
adjacent  towns. 

So  malignant  and  mortal  was  this  disease,  and  so 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  167 

quick  in  its  work,  that  tlie  usual  inquiry  for  the  con- 
dition of  the  sick  person  was  not,  as  formerly,  "How 
is  he?"  but,  "Is  he  living?" 

It  did  its  most  disastrous  work  among  those  of  the 
most  robust  constitution.  Indeed,  very  few  persons 
of  this  character  survived  its  attacks. 

In  the  following  winter  a  few  instances  of  a  similar 
disease  occurred ;  but  either  because  it  appeared  in  a 
milder  form,  or  because  it  was  more  successfully  man- 
aged by  the  physicians,  it  did  not  cause  many  deaths. 

It  was  supposed  by  the  early  settlers,  that  fever  and 
ague  was  produced  by  the  miasmatic  influences  of  the 
numerous  swamps  in  town ;  but,  while  all  the  swamps 
remain  as  formerly,  fever  and  ague  have  entirely  dis- 
appeared. 

It  may  be  that  acclimation  has  had  the  effect  to 
banish  this  disease;  but  it  is  believed  that  it  had  its 
origin,  in  the  early  days,  more  from  the  decaying 
roots,  stumps  and  timber,  which  followed  the  clearing 
of  the  land,  than  from  the  swamps. 

It  is  undoubtedly  true,  that  these  swamp  lands  are 
not  prolific  of  disease  of  any  character.  This  fact 
was  very  well  proved  during  the  building  of  the  rail- 
road through  the  Otter  creek  swamps ;  for  several 
hundred  hands  were  here  emjDloyed,  both  summer 
and  winter,  for  nearly  two  years,  and  no  one  of  these 
men^   and  none  of   their  numerous   families,   were 

13* 


158  HISTORY   OF   SALISBT7ET. 

known  to  be  made  sick,  while  here  employed,  in 
consequence  of  their  locality. 

A  few  cases  of  ship  fever  occurred  among  them, 
which  had  been  contracted  previous  to  their  arrival 
here. 

One  or  two  deaths  have  occurred  from  delirium  tre- 
mens, or  from  diseases  akin  to  it.  Tliis  disease  made 
its  appearance  with  the  age  of  adulterated  liquors ;  it 
was  unknown  before  the  year  1800.* 

Salisbury  has  always  been  a  very  healthy  town,  and 

*  The  first  distilled  liquors  which  excited  suspicions  of  adul- 
teration, in  Salisbury,  was  a  barrel  of  rum  which  the  building 
eommittee  obtained  at  Troy,  New  York,  to  be  used  in  the 
framing  and  raising  of  the  meeting-house. 

This  was  in  1804,  since  which  time  a  great  change  has  taken 
place  in  public  opinion  in  matters  of  temperance.  This  liquor 
had  a  taste  similar  to  that  of  tar,  and  was  accordingly  named 
tar  water. 

Doctor  Benj.  Rush,  of  Philadelphia,  distinguished  at  once, 
as  a  chemist,  physician  and  statesman,  was  among  the  first  to 
discover  the  adulteration  of  liquors  in  this  country,  and  the 
consequent  danger  of  their  use  as  a  medicine. 

He  used  every  means  in  his  power,  during  the  latter  part  of 
his  valuable  life,  to  prevent  the  use  of  ardent  spirits  among  the 
people  of  the  United  States,  as  a  beverage,  and  probably  did 
more  than  any  other  person  in  laying  the  foundation  of  the 
temperance  reform,  which  has  spread  throughout  the  country. 
He  died  at  Philadelphia  in  the  year  1813. 


-m 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURT. 


159 


a  large  number  of  its  early  inhabitants  lived  far  be- 
yond the  common  age  of  man. 

The  First  Eegistration  Eeport  of  births,  marriages 
and  deaths  in  Vermont,  places  Salisbury  amoug  the 
first  towns  in  Addison  county,  in  point  of  health. 

This  report,  being  the  first  one  of  the  kind  in  this 
state,  is  necessarily  inaccurate,  but  at  the  same  time 
enables  us  to  form  a  comparatively  accurate  judg- 
ment of  the  healthiness  of  the  diff'erent  parts  of  the 
state. 

Rev.  Mr.  Pumeroy,  during  his  ministry  here,  kept  a 
record  of  the  deaths  among  us,  which  numbered  sev- 
enty-six. This  embraces  a  period  of  four  years,  com- 
mencing in  1812. 

Of  these  seventy-six  deaths, 


35  occurred  in  persons  between  0  and   10  years  of  age. 


4 
6 
4 
4 
6 
10 
3 
2 
2 


10 
20 
30 
40 
50 
60 
70 
80 
90 


"  20 

"  30 

"  40 

-  50 

"  60 

"  70 

"  80 

"  90 

''  100 

The  'diseases  of  which  these  persons  died,  and  the 
number  of  deaths  by  each  disease,  were  as  follows ; 


160 


HISTOET   OF   SALISBFRT. 


Consumption, 

7 

Scalded,                                1 

Typhus  fever, 

4 

Still-born,                             1 

Dropsy, 

4 

Old  age,                                4 

Influenza, 

I 

Fits,                                     7 

Epidemic  lung 

fever. 

22 

Wound  in  the  joint,             1 

Dysentery, 

4 

Laudanum,                             1 

Spotted  fever. 

2 

Whooping  cough,                1 

Canker  rash. 

1 

Unknown,                          14 

Gravel, 

1 

From  the  account  kept  by  Kev.  Mr.  Barrows,  du- 
ring the  four  years  next  preceding  January  Ist,  1861, 
it  appears  that  the  number  of  deaths  in  town  was 
fifty-one. 


8   between  the  ag 
6         '♦           " 

■es  0 

f          0 
10 

and   10  yet 
"      20       ' 

irs. 

13 

((      ( 

20 

"      30       ' 

5         '♦ 

((      i 

30 

.»      40       ' 

4 

(      ( 

40 

"      50       ' 

2        *'          " 

'      ' 

50 

"      60       ' 

3        ♦'          *' 

U            ( 

60 

u      70      ♦ 

4        ti          ((        i 

(         { 

70 

"      80       ' 

4        i(          (t 

(         ( 

80 

♦'      90      ♦ 

2         '•           ♦' 

i         i 

90 

"    100      * 

5  by  Consumption,  1 
"     Dropsy, 
'*     Cancer, 

I 

4 

1 

Deaths  by  Typhus  fever, 
''     Canker-rash, 
"     Throat  disease. 

8 
4 
3 

"     Brain  fever, 
"     Lung  fever, 
"     Fits, 
*'    Unknown, 

2 
2 
1 
3 

Spinal  dis 
Dropsy  or 
Liver  com 
Old  ago. 

ease, 
I  brain, 
plaint. 

1 
2 
] 
8 

HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  161 

The  number  of  deaths  during  the  four  years  of  Mr. 
Pumeroy's  ministry,  appears  to  be  one-third  greater 
than  that  during  the  same  term  of  time  of  more  recent 
date,  as  shown  by  the  records  of  Mr.  Barrows. 

This  difference  arises  from  the  greater  number  of 
deaths  from  the  epidemic  lung  fever  of  1812.* 

It  is  believed  that  Mr.  Barrows'  record  is  a  fair 
representative  of  the  average  number  of  deaths,  du- 
ring every  period  of  corresponding  length,  since  the 
year  1800,  allowance  being  made  for  increase  of  in- 
habitants, and  for  the  ravages  of  the  epidemic  before 
mentioned. 

Previous  to  the  beginning  of  the  present  century, 
the  number  of  deaths  was  less,  in  proportion  to  the 
number  of  inhabitants,  than  at  present.  This  was 
very  probably  owing  to  the  more  uniform  tempera- 
ture of  the  atmosphere,  and  perhaps  to  the  more  reg- 
ular and  healthful  habits  of  the  people.  Many  of  the 
early  settlers  lived  over  ninety  years.  John  Morton 
died  at  the  age  of  ninety-four  years;  George  June, 
ninety-seven  years;  and  Mary  Holt  died  in  July, 
184:4,  having  reached  her  one  hundred  and  third 
year. 

The  more  common  contagious  diseases  have  pre- 

*  This  disease  first  made  its  appearance  among  the  soldiers 
at  Burlington  and  Plattsburgh,  in  the  latter  part  of  1812. 


162  HISTORY  OF  SALI8BUEY. 

vailed  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  in  town  for  a  great 
many  years.  Among  them  we  might  mention  meas- 
les, hooping-cough,  mumps,  canker-rash,  and  small- 
pox. 

The  latter  disease  has  not  made  its  appearance  here 
more  than  two  or  three  times. 

In  1803,  by  a  vote  of  the  town,  a  pest  house  was 
built,  a  little  to  the  south  of  Abner  More's  house,  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  James  Fitts. 

Here  many  individuals  were  inoculated  with  the 
small-pox,  under  the  guidance  and  care  of  Dr.  John 
Horton  and  Dr.  Henry  Porter. 

But  in  1807,  vaccination  was  introduced  among  us, 
and  as  it  proved  to  be  a  preventive  of  the  small-pox, 
great  numbers  were  vaccinated;  so  that  the  small- 
pox has  almost  been  junknown  among  us  since  that 
time.* 

*  Dr.  Edward  Jenner,  of  Gloucestershire,  England,  ascer- 
tained by  experiment,  that  vaccine  virus,  or  a  virus  taken  from 
cows  in  a  certain  stage  of  the  disease,  when  transferred  to  the 
human  system  by  inoculation,  was  a  safe  and  very  sure  pre- 
ventive of  the  small-pox.  This  discovery  was  made  about  1798, 
and  after  having  been  tested  for  a  short  time  in  England,  was 
communicated  to  all  parts  of  Christendom.  It  met  with  great 
resistance  and  derision  for  many  years,  but  Dr.  Jenner  lived 
to  see  it  triumphant,  and  finally  received  the  honor  and  name 
so  justly  due  him.     He  died  in  1823. 


.itk 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY. 


163 


In  the  spring  of  1820,  one  or  two  individuals  living 
in  the  sonth  part  of  the  town  were  vaccinated,  as  they 
supposed,  but  through  the  mistake  of  their  physician 
they  were  inoculated  with  the  genuine  small-pox. 
From  these  persons  the  disease  spread  into  a  few  fam- 
ilies in  that  vicinity,  but  in  no  case  proved  fatal. 

The  author  is  not  aware  that  any  instance  of  this 
dreadful  disease  has  occurred  in  this  town  since  that 
time. 

The  following  table  shows  the  population  of  the 
town  at  different  periods ;  also  containing  the  names 
of  physicians  and  attorneys,  and  the  time  when  each 
here  commenced  practice. 


Population  in  1791, 

446 

Population  in  1800, 

644 

''       1810, 

709 

"       1820, 

721 

1830, 

907 

"       1840, 

942 

**       1850, 

1,027 

PHYSICIANS, 

Darius  Matthews, 

1789 

Josiah  W.  Hale, 

1812 

Eliphaz  Perkins, 

1791 

*  A.  Gr.  Dana, 

1821 

Thomas  Dunbar, 

1796 

Washington  Miller, 

1822 

*  Paul  Thorndike, 

1801 

.   Luke  Hale, 

1829 

John  Horton, 

1802 

*  William  Pitts, 

1830 

*  Henry  Porter, 

1802 

M.  H.  Ranney, 

1835 

Eev.  Abiel  Jones, 

1804 

0.  G.  Dyar, 

1846 

Rufus  Newton, 

1805 

J.  N.  Moore, 

1851 

Eli  Derby, 

1808 

*  C.  S.  Chase, 

1856 

*  Harvey  Gruernsey, 

1808 

H.  C.  Atwood, 

1859 

164 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 


ATTORNEYS. 

Horatio  Waterous, 

1802 

*  Robert  Bostwick, 

1823 

James  Andrews,  jr., 

1809 

E.  N.  Briggs, 

1826 

*  Thomas  French, 

1811 

John  Prout, 

1838 

*  S.  H.  Tupper, 

1816 

*  John  Colby, 

1848 

Theophilus  Capen, 

1817 

A.  W.  Briggs, 

1859 

TABLE  OF  TAVEKN  KEEPERS,  AND  TIME  WHEN  EACH 

WENT  INTO 

BUSINESS. 

Solomon  Bigelow, 

1788 

P.  &  A.  Johnson, 

1813 

Eleazor  Claghorn, 

1789 

Isaac  Hill, 

1813 

Hamlin  Johnson, 

1798 

Ellery  Howard, 

1814 

Lorin  Lakin, 

1795 

Moses  Hitchcock, 

1815 

Stephen  Hard, 

1795 

Ruel  Smith, 

1818 

Reuben  Saxton, 

1799 

Elnathan  Darling, 

1826 

Christopher  Johnson, 

1800 

Carey  Allen, 

1828 

Elias  Kelsey, 

1801 

Abiel  Manning, 

1829 

Solomon  Everts, 

1803 

P.  G.  Alden, 

1831 

William  Kilburn, 

1804 

Lucius  Barker, 

1832 

Patrick  Johnson, 

1808 

James  Cook, 

1836 

Johnson  &  Brooks, 

1810 

Nehemiah  Pray, 

1836 

Brooks  &  Kilburn, 

1811 

T.W.  Kelar, 

1840 

Jacob  Linsley, 

1812 

Rollin  T.  Howard, 

1846 

The  foregoing  is  made  with  reference  to  the  time 
each  tavern  keeper  took  out  his  license.  It  may  not 
show  the  exact  time  when  each  commenced  keeping  a 
public  house. 


*  Remained  in  town  but  a  short  time. 


^^^ 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBUUT. 


166 


In  addition  to  the  names  above,  might  be  mentioned 
the  different  owners  and  proprietors  of  the  hotel  at 
Lake  Dunmore.  But  as  these  have  been  named  be- 
fore, they  are  here  omitted. 

Moreover,  the  hotel  at  Lake  Dunmore  has  been 
more  a  place  of  summer  resort,  than  one  simply  for 
the  accommodation  of  travelers. 

TABLE  OF  MERCHANTS  AND  RETAILEES  OF  SPIEITS. 
MERCHANTS. 


Josiah  Rossiter, 

1797 

Jason  Rice, 

1826 

Libeus  Harris, 

1802 

Parker  &  Ives, 

(( 

Merriam  &  Kilburn, 

1804 

Barrows  &  Kidder, 

1828 

Bela  Farnham, 

u 

Abiel  Manning, 

1829 

Ambrose  Porter, 

1805 

John  Beck  with  &  Co. 

,  1831 

Brooks  &  Morriam, 

(( 

Linsly  &  Chipman, 

1832 

Joshua  Brooks, 

1806 

Howard  Harris, 

1844 

Weed  &  Conant, 

n 

William  Rustin, 

1851 

Patrick  Johnson, 

1807 

E.  A.  Hamilton, 

1852 

P.  &  A.  Johnson, 

1808 

S.  E.  Waterhouse, 

1852 

Dickinson  &  Brooks, 

1810 

James  Fitts,  jr.. 

1858 

Aaron  Barrows, 

1815 

Wm.  Rustin  &  Co., 

1858 

James  I.  Catlin, 

it 

Benj.  Eastwood, 

1859 

Catlin  &  Atwood, 

1817 

RETAILERS 

OF   SPIRITS. 

John  Deming, 

1796 

Abner  More, 

1809 

Joseph  Cheney, 

1803 

ii 

ii 

14 


166 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 


Joseph  Cheney 


1803 


Abner  More, 


1809 


M.  H.  Ranney,  1839 

P.  0.  Barrows,  1847 

About  the  time  of  the  completion  of  the  Rutland 
and  Burlington  Railroad,  a  union  store  was  started  in 
the  depot  building  in  West  Salisbury,  under  the 
management  of  J.  S.  Messer.  This  store  did  a  limited 
business  for  a  short  time,  and  was  closed. 

Since  the  passage  of  the  law  known  as  the  Maine 
Liquor  Law,  intoxicating  liquors  have  been  sold  in 
this  town,  as  in  other  towns  of  the  state,  by  an  agent 
appointed  by  the  county  commissioner  for  that  pur- 
pose. 

The  first  agent  was  Lothrop  Bump,  who  held  the 
office  in  1853  and  1854.  In  1855,  this  office  was  given 
to  Darius  Holman,  in  which  he  continued  to  act  until 
the  appointment  of  Eugene  A.  Hamilton,  in  1859. 

Of  crimes  in  Salisbury,  it  is  a  pleasure  to  say  that 
the  history  is  short. 

With  the  exception  of  some  of  the  disturbances  and 
breaches  of  the  peace  which  grew  out  of  the  contro- 
versy between  Salisbury  and  Leicester,  already  men- 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBTIRT.  167 

tioned,  our  people  have  not  often  required  the  atten- 
tion of  the  higher  courts  in  criminal  prosecutions. 

The  first  instance  of  theft  of  much  notoriety,  was 
that  of  Joseph  Andrews,  who,  in  the  night,  by  means 
of  false  keys,  entered  John  Deming's  store  and  took 
a  quantity  of  goods ;  sometime  during  the  same  night 
he  also  unlocked  Mr.  Deming's  stable  and  stole  his 
stallion,  whereby  he  made  his  escape. 

He  was  soon  overtaken,  however,  and  brought 
back,  and  afterward,  on  trial  at  Middlebury,  was 
found  guilty,  and  sentenced  to  have  a  piece  of  one 
of  his  ears  cut  off,  to  have  the  letters  H.  T.  branded 
upon  his  forehead  with  a  hot  iron,  to  mark  his  crime, 
and  to  receive  thirty-nine  lashes  on  his  naked  back 
at  the  public  whipping-post. 

All  these  punishments  were  inflicted  in  the  most 
summary  and  zealous  manner  by  John  Chipman, 
who  was  high  sheriff  of  Addison  county  at  that  time. 

This  took  place  sometime  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
last  century. 

Subsequent  to  this,  but  one  case  occurred  which 
required  the  execution  of  these  cruel,  inhuman  and 
barbarous  laws. 

It  was  in  the  year  180T  or  1808.  A  young  man  of 
respectability,  and  of  highly  reputable  connections, 
(as  it  was  afterward  ascertained),  fell  into  bad  com- 


168  HISTORY   OF   6ALISBURY. 

pany,  and  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  pass  a  counterfeit 
bank  bill,  of  the  denomination  of  five  dollars. 

The  crime  was  proved  against  him — and,  being  a 
stranger  here  at  that  time,  was  unable  to  procure  bail, 
and  finally  was  sentenced  to  receive  thirty-nine  lashes 
upon  his  naked  back. 

William  Slade  was  high  sherifi*,  at  that  time,  and 
officiated  at  the  whipping-post.  Several  other  crim- 
inals were  whipped  at  the  same  time,  in  the  labor  of 
which  the  sheriff  was  assisted  by  his  deputies. 

To  see  three  strong  men  relieving  each  other,  in  the 
fatigue  of  whipping  these  boys  till  the  blood  ran  down 
their  backs,  would  astonish  the  present  generation, 
and  is  a  sight  which  we  never  wish  to  witness  again. 

Since  the  state  prison  was  completed,  (in  1809) 
many  of  the  old  and  more  barbarous  laws  of  the  state 
have  been  repealed,  and  imprisonment  and  hard  la- 
bor for  a  term  of  years,  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
offence,  have  been  substituted  for  the  revolting  pub- 
lic infliction  of  punishment,  of  the  earlier  days.* 

Only  a  few  instances  of  speculating  in  counterfeit 
money  have  been  detected  in  this  town,  and  in  these 

**'The  only  crimes  which  are  at  present  punishable  by 
death,  in  Vermont,  are,  murder,  killing  a  person  in  a  duel, 
perjury  in  consequence  of  which  life  is  taken,  and  arson  by 
means  of  which  some  person's  life  is  destroyed." 


HISTOET   OF   SALISBURY.  169 

the  business  was  done  on  quite  a  small  scale ;  but  tbe 
offenders  were  convicted,  and  made  to  suffer  the  just 
penalties  of  the  law  in  the  state  prison. 

The  grand  jury  has  found  bills  against  two  of  our 
people  for  the  crime  of  perjury.  In  the  one  case  the 
bonds  were  forfeited  and  the  respondent  went  clear, 
and  in  the  other  the  respondent  went  to  trial  and  was 
acquitted. 

The  one  indictment  and  trial  for  manslaughter  we 
have  already  noticed,  which  also  resulted  in  the  ac- 
quittal of  the  respondent. 

The  offence  (properly  a  crime)  of  selling  intoxica- 
ting liquors  without  a  license,  has  been  quite  general, 
as  the  dockets  of  the  county  court  plainly  show. 

Probably  other  instances  of  crime  have  occurred, 
which,  though  noticed  by  the  grand  jury,  have  not 
been  made  public. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  parties  divorced  in 
Salisbury : 

Aaron  Goodrich  and  his  wife  Sally,  whose  maiden  name  was  Bigelow. 


James  Crook          " 

"       Desire, 

iC          «          « 

Wainwright. 

Harry  Johnson,      " 

'*       Sally, 

«        {(        (( 

Capron. 

Jesse  Story,           " 

"       Betsey, 

U              «              U 

Pierce. 

Joseph  Cheney,    " 

«'       Hilpa, 

C(            It            < 

Nash. 

H.  W.  Noyes,       « 

"       Lucinda, 

(I               U               (( 

Bartlett. 

Harry  Johnson  and  his  divorced  wife  were  married 
again,  within  a  year  or  two  after  the  bill  of  divorce 
had  been  granted. 

14* 


170  HISTORY   OF   SALISBTJET. 

Aaron  Goodrich  and  his  wife  separated  by  a  con- 
tract mutually  agreed  upon  between  themselves. 

Mrs.  Hilpa  Cheney  afterward  married  Mr.  

Smith,  of  New  Haven,  Yermont. 

With  this  exception,  and  that  of  Mr.  Johnson  and 
his  wife,  the  author  is  not  aware  that  either  of  these 
divorced  parties  were  ever  married  again. 

In  regard  to  Rev.  Mr.  Cheney,  in  justice  it  should 
be  said  that,  previous  to  the  year  1822,  he  had  fully 
sustained  the  reputation  of  a  learned,  pious  and  faith- 
ful minister  of  the  Gospel,  iand  was  highly  esteemed 
by  his  brethren  in  the  ministry. 

But  in  the  autunm  of  1822  he  received  a  severe 
bruise  on  his  head,  occasioned  by  a  fall  from  his 
horse,  which  so  impaired  his  intellectual  faculties  as 
to  produce  partial  mental  derangement,  and  to  render 
him  an  exceedingly  unpleasant  companion. 

After  this  accident,  he  appeared  to  have  an  imper- 
fect control  of  his  mind,  and  could  not  regulate  his 
habits  nor  limit  his  desires  so  as  to  live  a  perfectly 
blameless  life. 

And  as  for  his  good  wife  Hilpa,  her  character  as  a 
woman  of  christian  meekness,  fidelity,  and  intelli- 
gence, had  long  been  too  well  established,  to  admit  of 
the  belief  that  she  could  have  been  the  cause  of  fam- 
ily difficulties. 

The   writer  had   occasion  to  be  well  acquainted 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  171 

with  the  facts  connected  with  some  of  the  fore- 
going cases  of  divorce,  and  in  examining  them, 
and  in  a  careful  observation  elsewhere,  it  is  found 
that  one  of  the  most  prolific  causes  of  domestic  difii- 
culty,  lies  in  an  arbitrary  spirit  exercised  by  either 
the  husband  or  wife.  In  a  relation  so  intimate  as  that 
of  the  marriage  relation,  this  spirit  has  no  limit  to  its 
opportunities  and  disagreeable  ways  of  manifesting  it- 
self. In  one  of  the  foregoing  cases,  it  was  found  that 
the  husband  was  from  a  family  in  which  the  father 
held  the  reins  of  government,  and  the  wife  from  an- 
other in  which  the  mother  had  been  wont,  almost  ex- 
clusively, to  govern  as  well  as  to  manage  all  domestic 
concerns.  It  was  in  this  disparity  of  education  and 
habit,  that  lay  the  beginning  of  all  their  difficulty. 
The  entire  and  exchisive  jurisdiction  of  the  family 
being  claimed  by  both,  it  was  obtained  by  neither, 
and  the  final  result  was,  a  divorce. 

"We  cannot  help  here  suggesting  to  the  young 
candidates  for  matrimony,  that  they  will  find  frailty 
in  all  human  nature,  and  that  the  true  way  to  meet  it 
is  in  mutual  forbearance  and  kindness  ;  and  that  there 
is  nothing  in  the  marriage  relation — unless  it  be  the 
gross  and  disgraceful  sin  of  adultery — which-  so  alien- 
ates the  aifectiong,  destroys  confidence,  and  blunts  the 
sense  of  moral  responsibility,  as  that  haughty,  de- 
ceptive demeanor  of  a  dictating,  domineering  spirit. 


172  HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY. 

The  person  who  indulges  this  spirit,  nullifies  the  most 
sacred  promises,  and  patronizes  moral  treason.  Re- 
member the  words  of  the  great  apostle — "  Wives,  sub- 
mit yourselves  unto  your  own  husbands;"  "Hus- 
bands, love  your  wives;"  "Submitting  yourselves, 
one  to  another,  in  the  fear  of  God." 


HISTOEY   OF    SALISBURY.  173 


CHAPTER  XY. 

THE    CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCH  AND    SOCIETY. — THE 
METHODIST    CHURCH. 

From  the  books  of  the  Congregational  church  in 
Salisbury,  is  taken  the  following  record  of  its  begin- 
ning: 

"  Salisbury^  FeVy  8,  1 804. — We,  Solomon  Storey, 
John  Holt,  Aaron  L.  Beach,  Gilbert  Everts,  jr.,  Elia- 
kim  Weeks,  Hannah  Weeks,  Anna  Copeland,  Eliza- 
beth Beach  and  Hannah  Everts,  being  desirous  to 
form  ourselves  into  a  christian  church,  have  met  for 
that  purpose.     Present, 

Rev.  Jedediah  Bushnell, 
"     Benjamin  Worcester. 

"  Having  previously  given  a  relation  of  the  ground 
of  our  hope,  and  been  propounded  for  two  weeks,  we 
proceed  to  make  choice  of  the  following  confession  of 
faith,  to  be  our  creed,  and  bind  ourselves  to  walk  as 
a  church  of  Christ;  wishing  grace,  mercy  and  peace, 
through  our  Lord  Jesns  Christ,  may  descend  upon  us 
and  our  successors  in  this  church.' 


1Y4  .HISTORY   OF   SALISBUKT. 

ARTICLES. 

"  I.  We  believe  there  is  one  God,  a  self-existent,  in- 
dependent, and  infinitely  wise  and  holy  Being,  who  is 
almighty  in  power,  unchangeable  in  his  nature,  and 
possessed  of  all  possible  perfection  ;  the  great  creator, 
sole  preserver,  and  sovereign  disposer  of  all  things. 

"  II.  We  believe  that  this  one  God,  in  a  mysterious, 
incomprehensible  manner,  subsists  in  three  persons — 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost — distinctly 
three  persons,  yet  essentially  but  one  God,  and  that 
these  three  persons  are  co-equal,  co-essential  and  co- 
eternal,  in  all  the  divine  perfections. 

"  III.  We  believe  that  the  Scriptures  contained  in 
the  old  and  new  Testaments,  are  the  word  of  God, 
given  by  divine  inspiration,  and  are  a  perfect,  and  the 
only  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

"  lY.  We  believe  that  God  exercises  a  moral  gov- 
ernment over  all  his  rational  creatures,  and  that  in  his 
glorious  administration,  the  divine  law  of  God  is  a 
perfect,  infallible,  and  eternal  rule  of  righteousness, 
requiring  perfect,  persevering  obedience,  upon  the 
pain  of  eternal  damnation. 

"  Y.  We  believe  that  God  made  man,  at  first,  per- 
fectly holy  and  happy,  and  appointed  Adam,  the  pa- 
rent of  mankind,  to  be  the  federal  head  and  repre- 
sentative of  all  his  natural  posterity,  promising  that 
if  he  continued  in  perfect  holiness  they  should  be 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  175 

happy,  but  in  case  he  disobeyed,  they  should  fall  with 
him  into  a  state  of  sin  and  death. 

"  YI.  "We  believe  that  our  first  parents  fell  from 
their  original  state  of  holiness  ;  consequently,  accord- 
ing to  God's  holy  and  wise  constitution,  all  mankind 
were  born  into  the  world  sinners,  and  became  justly 
deserving  God's  wrath  and  curse  forever  and  ever. 

"  YII.  We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  a  substitute 
for  the  sinner ;  that  he  yielded  perfect  obedience  to 
the  divine  law  of  God,  and  bore  its  curse ;  that  he 
thereby  vindicated  the  justice  of  the  law,  brought  in 
everlasting  righteousness,  and  opened  the  way  for  the 
exercise  of  mercy  to  the  guilty.  Now,  in  saving  the 
sinner,  God  is  just  and  the  justifier  of  him  who  be- 
lieves in  Jesus. 

"YIII.  "We  believe  that,  in  consequence  of  the 
atonement  made  by  the  death  of  Christ,  divine  mercy 
is  freely  offered  to  all  sinners  who  will  exercise  re- 
pentance toward  God  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

"  IX.  We  believe  that,  although  divine  mercy  is 
freely  offered  to  all  who  will  repent  and  believe,  man- 
kind are  so  far  sunk  in  sin,  being  wholly  corrupt,  and 
at  enmity  with  God  and  the  Gospel,  that  they  will 
not  exercise  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  until  their  hearts  are  subdued  by 
Almighty  power,  or  a  new  heart  is  given  them  crea- 


176  HISTORY  OF   8ALISBUBT. 

ated  after  tlie  image  of  God  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness. 

"X.  We  believe  that,  notwithstanding  sinful  re- 
jection of  divine  mercy,  God  did  from  all  eternity, 
for  the  glory  of  his  great  name,  without  any  respect 
to  the  future  actions  of  his  creatures,  elect  some  of 
the  human  race  to  everlasting,  life,  through  the  medi- 
ation of  his  son  Jesus  Christ,  and  entered  into  cove- 
nant to  save  them  from  their  state  of  sin  and  misery, 
justly  leaving  the  rest  of  mankind  to  perish  in  their 
sins  for  their  wilful  rejection  of  the  glorious  offers  of 
divine  grace. 

"  XI.  We  believe  that  Christ  ever  had  a  church  in 
the  world,  consisting  of  his  true  followers,  and  that 
he  will  continue  it  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and  that 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  are  the  ordinances. 

^'XII.  We  believe  that  baptism  is  to  be  adminis- 
tered to  believers  and  their  infant  seed,  and  that 
Christ  has  instituted  a  discipline  to  be  strictly  ob- 
served in  his  church,  according  to  his  directions  in  the 
eighteenth  chapter  of  Matthew. 

"  XIII.  We  believe  that  all  who  truly  believe  in 
Christ  will  certainly  persevere  in  holiness  unto  eternal 
life,  being  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith 
unto  salvation. 

"  Xiy.  We  believe  that  at  the  last  day  Christ  will 
come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBLTIT.  177 

glory,  raise  the  dead  from  their  graves,  judge  the 
world  in  righteousness,  and  doom  the  wicked  to  ever- 
lasting destruction,  and  receive  the  redeemed  to  the 
happiness  and  glory  of  his  eternal  kingdom." 

To  these  articles  of  faith  all  candidates  were  re- 
quired to  give  their  assent,  before  admission  into  the 
church. 

The  candidates  were  also  required  to  undertake  the 
obligation  of  a  covenant,  by  which  they  promised  to 
yield  perfect  obedience  to  the  will  of  God,  to  keep 
holy  the  Sabbath  day,  to  observe  morning  and  even- 
ing prayers,  and  to  cultivate  those  conditions  of  heart, 
and  of  mind,  which  would  best  enable  them  to  per- 
form their  duty  both  to  God  and  man. 

These  articles  of  faith,  and  this  covenant,  were  re- 
vised by  a  vote  of  the  church,  in  1810,  and  were  ren- 
dered less  exceptionable,  by  adopting  a  different 
phraseology,  while  the  original  ideas  and  sentiments 
remained  very  much  the  same. 

They  were  again  revised  and  altered,  in  1831,  under 
the  direction  of  Kev.  Daniel  Kockwell.  This  last  re- 
vision did  not  meet  with  much  favor  among  the  people, 
and  seemed  to  the  clergy  of  the  Congregational  order 
to  be  of  much  less  value  than  the  former  one. 

The  following  table,  made  after  a  careful  examina- 
tion of  the  church  records,  shows  that  from  the  time 
the  church  was  first  organized,  in  1804,  to  181T,  one 

15 


1T8  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

hundred  and  ninetj-four  persons  were  added  to  its 
numbers  by  profession,  and  forty-five  by  letters  from 
other  churches ;  that  fifty-seven  were  dismissed,  and 
thirteen  excommunicated. 

Since  1847,  forty-three  have  been  added  by  profes- 
sion, and  fifteen  by  letter ;  twenty-four  dismissed,  and 
two  excommunicated — making,  in  all — 

Additions  by  profession,  237.     By  letter,  60. 

Dismissions,  81.    Excommunications,  15. 

This  table  is  undoubtedly  correct,  so  far  as  it  goes ; 
but  of  course  its  record  of  dismissions  and  excommu- 
nications does  not  show  the  losses  of  the  church  by 
emigration  and  death. 

From  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  church  to 
184T,  fifty  adult  persons  were  baptised ;  (most,  if  not 
all,  at  the  time  of  their  admission  into  the  church), 
and  during  that  time  one  hundred  and  twenty-three 
children  were  brought  forward  for  baptism,  either  by 
their  parents  or  guardians. 

The  present  number  of  the  church  is  one  hundred 
and  three,  beside  quite  a  large  number  belonging  to 
wliat  is  called  the  "  society." 

Among  this  latter  class  are  found  some  of  the  most 
efiifcient  and  liberal  supporters  of  the  Gospel  in  town. 
One  member  of  the  society  pays  a  hundred  dollars 
per  annum  for  this  purpose,  which  in  a  town  of  small 
salaries  shows  no  mediocre  generosity. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 


179 


5 
1804. 

1 

II 

0 

1 
p 
0 

ll 

0 

1827. 

^1 

1! 

0 

ll 
<^ 

0 

1 
5 
0 

1 

11 

0 

1805. 

2 

0 

0 

0 

1828. 

0 

0 

1 

0 

1806. 

15 

0 

1 

0 

1829. 

0 

0 

0 

(» 

1807. 

2 

0 

1 

0 

1830. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1808. 

2 

0 

0 

0 

1831. 

40 

2 

4 

0 

1809. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1832. 

0 

0 

0 

1 

1810. 

25 

0 

1 

1 

1833. 

5 

4 

1 

0 

1811. 

3 

2 

0 

0 

1834. 

5 

7 

0 

0 

1812. 

0 

2 

0 

0 

1835. 

0 

1 

0 

2 

1813. 

1 

1 

0 

0 

1836. 

9 

1 

4 

2 

1814. 

1 

2 

0 

0 

1837. 

8 

0 

14 

0 

1815. 

1 

0 

0 

1 

1838. 

6 

0 

3 

0 

1816. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1839. 

1 

5 

1 

0 

1817. 

2 

0 

3 

0 

1840. 

19 

3 

0 

0 

1818. 

2 

0 

2 

0 

1841. 

0 

3 

3 

1 

1819. 

1 

0 

0 

0 

1842. 

1 

0 

3 

1 

1820. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1843. 

0 

3 

3 

0 

1821. 

36 

0 

2 

0 

1844. 

0 

0 

2 

0 

1822. 

5 

1 

1 

0 

1845. 

0 

2 

0 

0 

1823. 

0 

1 

1 

1 

1846. 

0 

0 

3 

0 

1824. 

1 

2 

0 

2 

1847. 

0 

3 

0 

0 

1825. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

— 

— 

— 

1826. 

0 

0 

3 

1 

194 

45 

57 

13 

This  table  shows  the  time  of  all  periods  of  special 
interest  in  matter's  of  religion  in  the  church,  since  its 
formation.     For  instance,  in  1806,  under  the  ministry 


180  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

of  Kev.  Abiel  Jones  (who  was  also  a  physician),  fif- 
teen were  added  to  the  church.  Again,  in  1810,  even 
when  the  church  and  society  were  without  any  regu- 
lar ministrations  of  the  Gospel,  twenty -five  persons 
were  added. 

This  religious  interest  appeared  to  take  its  rise, 
under  God,  in  Middlebury  College.  The  students  of 
that  institution .  spent  much  time  in  establishing  and 
attending  weekly  conferences  in  this  town  especially 
for  young  people.  At  this  time.  Deacon  A.  L.  Beach 
and  Ebenezer  Weeks  (then  a  student  in  Middlebury 
College),  spent  many  weeks  traveling  from  house  to 
house,  to  encourage  people  to  attend  and  to  interest 
themselves  in  these  meetings. 

For  this  renewed  religious  interest,  the  Congrega- 
tional church  in  Salisbury  was  indebted  not  only  for 
the  services  of  the  students  in  college,  but  especially 
to  president  Atwater,  and  other  ministers,  for  their 
great  labors  and  kindness  at  this  time.  Rev.  Messrs. 
Bushnell,  Parsons,  Ilibbard,  Merrill,  and  others,  were 
always  zealous  men  in  any  good  work,  and  here 
showed  their  zeal  at  this  time. 

In  the  infancy  of  the  Congregational  church  of 
Salisbury,  (when  it  needed  assistance  the  most),  these 
men  were  ever  ready  to  give  it  help,  and  did  give  it 
an  impetus'  which  it  feels  to  this  day. 

This  church  had  no   settled  minister  until   1811, 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  181 

and  as  few  of  the  leading  business  men  were  members 
of  it,  it  was  compelled  to  struggle  through  great  diffi- 
culties and  dangers,  for  several  years. 

In  1805,  (before  a  single  male  member  had  been 
added  to  its  original  number),  it  suffered  very  much 
from  the  derelictions  of  one  of  its  leading  members, 
who  was,  however,  reclaimed  after  great  trial  and  dif- 
ficulty. 

In  1807  the  discipline  of  the  church  was  brought 
in  requisition  to  reclaim  another  leading  member  who 
had  gone  astray,  and  in  1810  still  another  was  found 
in  serious  fault,  and  expelled. 

There  had,  during  all  this  time,  existed  difficulties 
between  certain  members  of  the  church  and  some  of 
the  leading  business  men,  which  deterred  the  latter 
from  uniting  with  the  former.  But  these  difficulties 
appear  to  have  been  overcome  during  the  extraordi- 
nary time  of  religious  interest,  in  1810. 

At  this  time  the  following  vote  was  recorded  on 
the  church  records,  viz:  '^ May  lUh^  1810.  Yoted 
by  the  church  and  society,  that  no  old  matters  shall 
be  brought  up  any  more,  as  matters  of  objection  or 
difficulty  among  each  other." 

ISTo  deacons  were  elected  until  May  8th,  1811,  when 
Aaron  L.  Beach  and  John  Holt  were  elected  to  that 
office ;  and  no  regular  minister  was  installed  over  the 

15* 


182  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

church  until  October  15th,  1811,  when  Eev.  Kufus 
Pumroy  was  called  to  fill  that  place. 

On  the  18th  of  I^oy ember,  1816,  at  his  own  request, 
and  by  the  council  of  the  Addison  county  consocia- 
tion, called  by  himself,  Mr.  Pumroy  was  dismissed 
from  this  pastoral  charge. 

He,  being  the  first  settled  minister  in  town,  was,  by 
the  terms  of  the  charter,  vested  with  what  was  called 
the  "  ministerial  right"  of  land ;  but  at  the  time  of  his 
dismission,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  council,  he  deeded 
one-half  of  this  land  to  the  Congregation  al  church,  it 
being  thought  that  his  residence  here  had  not  been  of 
sufficient  length  to  entitle  him  to  receive  the  whole 
of  it. 

As  the  causes  of  Mr.  Pumroy's  dismission  are  not 
made  matters  of  record,  and,  therefore,  patent  to  all, 
they  will  be  noticed  on  a  future  page. 

It  is  our  duty,  however,  to  exonerate  Mr.  Pum- 
roy from  all  moral  blemish ;  if  he  erred  at  all,  it  was 
in  things  of  minor  importance,  for  he  was  a  learned, 
faithful  and  pious  minister. 

From  1816  to  the  time  of  the  settlement  of  Rev. 
Joseph  Cheney,  (in  March,  1819),  tlie  church  and  peo- 
ple were  occasionally  supplied  with  preaching  by  the 
president  and  professors  of  Middlebury  College,  and 
by  other  neighboring  clergymen.     Mr.  Cheney,  how- 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  183 

ever,  commenced  preaching  on  probation  some  time 
previous  to  his  final  settlement. 

Under  the  instructions  of  Mr.  Cheney,  and  through 
his^quiet,  faithful  working  among  his  people  (by  which 
more  good  is  often  accomplished  than  by  the  most  elo- 
quent preaching),  the  church  increased  in  numbers 
and  zeal.  One  year  of  his  ministry  was  marked  with 
peculiar  success.  It  was  the  year  1821,  when  thirty- 
six  members  were  added  to  the  church. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1822,  the  usefulness  of  Mr. 
Cheney,  as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  was  suddenly  ar- 
rested by  a  fall  from  his  horse,  in  which  his  head  suf- 
fered a  severe  injury,  as  before  stated. 

This  injury  is  believed  to  have  been  the  cause  of 
his  dismission,  which  occurred  the  following  year,  and 
finally  of  his  death,  in  1834:. 

From  March,  1823,  to  May,  1833,  the  church  was 
destitute  of  a  settled  minister.  For  the  space  of  about 
eleven  years,  counting  the  time  Mr.  Cheney  lost  in 
1822,  the  pulpit  was. supplied  most  of  the  time  by 
hiring  the  temporary  services  of  different  individuals. 
Among  these  mention  might  be  made  of  Rev.  Daniel 
Hock  well,  who  preached  here  in  1831,  and  under 
whose  ministrations  forty  members  were  added  to  the 
church. 

At  the  expiration  of  these  eleven  years,  the  Rev. 
Eli  Hyde  was  installed  pastor  of  the  church.     Tliis 


184:  HISTORY   OF    8ALI8BUBY. 

installation  took  place  May  30th,  1833.  But  a  little 
more  than  three  years  afterward,  in  September,  1836, 
a  council  was  convened,  and  Mr.  Hyde  was  dismissed, 
principally  for  want  of  support. 

During  the  three  years'  ministry  of  Mr.  Hyde,  about 
twenty  persons  were  added  to  the  church,  by  profes- 
sion, and  twelve,  by  letters  from  other  churches. 

Mr.  Hyde  was  an  energetic  man,  a  good  scholar 
and  a  faithful  pastor.  He  labored  under  the  disad- 
vantage of  an  impediment  in  his  speech,  which  was 
an  injury  to  him  as  a  public  speaker,  but  notwith- 
standing this,  and  the  fact  that  his  stay  in  town  was 
short,  much  credit  and  gratitude  is  due  him  for  his 
faithfulness  and  diligence  in  watching  over  the  people 
entrusted  to  his  care.  He  reclaimed  the  vicious,  and 
cleansed  the  body  of  the  church  of  such  members  as 
brought  a  stain  and  slur  upon  the  christian  religion. 
He  taught  much  by  his  daily  walk — by  liis  good  and 
pious  example. 

After  the  dismission  of  Mr..  Hyde,  there  was  no 
settled  minister  in  town  until  1845,  yet  the  people 
were  not  without  preaching  all  this  time,  for  they 
were  supplied  by  hiring  ministers  by  the  year. 

During  this  period,  in  which  the  church  was  with- 
out a  settled  minister,  the  state  of  feeling  in  church 
matters  began  to  indicate  that  a  change  in  the  loca- 
tion of  the  meeting-house  was  about  to  take  place, 


^ 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  185 

and  accordingly,  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  from 
the  time  of  the  dismissal  of  Mr.  Hyde,  the  old  meet- 
ing-house at  the  centre  of  the  town  was  taken  down, 
and  a  new  one  erected  at  the  village. 

In  October,  1838,  the  church  again  made  an  effort 
for  the  settlement  of  a  pastor  over  its  people,  and  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  confer  with  the  Consociation 
of  Addison  county,  concerning  the  settlement  of  Rev. 
Merrill  Richardson,  a  young  man  who  had  been 
preaching  in  Salisbury,  as  a  candidate  for  the  pastor- 
ate, for  quite  a  long  time ;  but  the  appointment  of 
the  committee  appears  to  have  been  the  end  of  the 
matter,  at  least  no  records  of  any  subsequent  proceed- 
ings in  the  premises  are  to  be  found,  and  certainly  Mr. 
Richardson,  not  long  after,  left  town. 

Rev.  George  W.  Barrows  was  ordained  and  settled 
in  this  town,  on  the  28th  of  January,  1845. 

The  clergymen  who  took  part  in  the  ordination  of 
Mr.  Barrows,  and  in  his  previous  examination,  and 
the  parts  which  each  performed,  were  as  follows  : 

Kev.  Thos.  A.  Merrill,  D.  D. — Moderator. 

'*  Mr.      Schermerhorn — Invocation  and  reading  the 

Scriptures. 
♦*  •'         Benton — Introductory  Prayer. 

"  "         Cog — Sermon. 

"  "         Herrick — Consecrating  Prayer. 

•'  "         Lamb — Charge  to  the  Pastor. 


186  HISTORY    OF    SALISBUET. 

Rev.     Mr.    Cushman — Right  Hand  of  Fellowship. 
♦♦     Shedd— Address  to  the  People. 
*'         "     Butler — Concluding  Prayer. 

Mr.  Barrows  is  still  the  pastor  of  this  church.  For 
fifteen  years,  (a  period  three  times  as  long  as  that  of 
the  ministrations  of  any  other  clergyman  in  town), 
he  has  successfully  and  faithfully  performed  the  du- 
ties of  his  office. 

Though  often  solicited  to  undertake  the  charge  of 
larger  churches  in  larger  towns,  and  which  afford 
more  liberal  salaries,  he  has  preferred  to  spend  his 
time  and  talents  for  the  benefit  of  the  town  in  which 
he  commenced  his  ministerial  labors. 

Under  his  guidance,  the  church,  notwithstanding 
its  losses  by  emigration,  has  gradually  increased  in 
strength.  Though  characterized  by  no  particular  oc- 
casion of  sudden  and  marvelous  increase  in  numbers, 
it  has  had  its  gradual  and  certain  additions  from  year 
to  year,  and,  what  is  perhaps  better,  has  gained  that 
solidity  of  character  which  arises  from  the  faithful 
teaching  of  principles,  and  the  inculcation  of  those 
dignified  truths  which  belong  peculiarly  to  Chris- 
tianity. 

The  fact  that  Mr.  Barrows  has  remained  in  his 
present  office  so  long,  and  that  at  no  time  since  his 
settlement  here,  has  he  had  so  large  and  attentive  a 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  187 

congregation  as  during  the  past  year,  tells  much  in 
his  favor,  and  suggests  much  of  the  cliaracter  of  the 
man. 

Eminently  practical  in  all  his  views ;  always  pro- 
vided with  an  abundance  of  what  is  called  good  com- 
mon sense,  which  is  so  essential  to  success  in  all  pro- 
fessional life ;  with  a  rare  ability  of  adaptation  to  the 
circumstances  of  the  occasion,  whether  serious  or  joy- 
ous ;  wdth  readiness  and  force  of  thought  that  will  in- 
terest an  assembly  in  an  extemporaneous  address ; 
with  learning  able  for  instruction ;  and  yet,  withal, 
ever  mindful  of  his  mission  ; — all  these  have  rendered 
him  not  only  a  useful  citizen,  but  a  popular  and  effi-, 
cient  pastor. 

Mr.  Barrows  is  a  native  of  Bridport,  Yermont,  and 
studied  divinity  at  the  Union  Theological  Seminary, 
in  ISTew  York.  , 

The  previously  settled  ministers  in  Salisbury  were 
from  Massachusetts,  (except  Mr.  Cheney,  who  was  a 
native  of  Connecticut),  and  obtained  their  theological 
education,  as  was  the  custom  in  early  days,  by  study- 
ing with  private  individuals.  Mr.  Pumroy  studied 
divinity  with  Rev.  F.  Packard,  of  Shelburn,  Massa- 
chusetts ;  Mr.  Cheney  with  Pev.  N".  Emmons,  of 
Franklin,  Massachusetts  ;  and  Mr.  Hyde  with  Pev.  C. 
Strong,  of  Chatham,  Connecticut. 

The  church  has  usually  had  two  deacons — though 


188  HISTORY   OF    8ALI8BITKY. 

since  its  first  organization,  in  1804,  this  ofiice  has  been 
vacant  at  different  periods  for  a  considerable  length 
of  time. 

Aaron  L.  Beach,  one  of  its  first  deacons,  served 
faithfully  and  acceptably  in  the  office  fifteen  years, 
until  his  death,  in  1826. 

John  Holt,  the  other  first  deacon,  after  having  faith- 
fully performed  the  duties  of  the  office  twelve  or 
thirteen  years,  resigned,  on  account  of  his  advanced 
age  and  infirmities. 

About  the  time  of  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Holt, 
Sylvester  Kinney  was  made  deacon,  but  about  three 
years  afterward  left  town,  and  soon  thereafter  died. 

From  the  time  of  the  death  of  deacon  Beach  until 
1833,  the  church  had  no  regularly  constituted  deacon, 
though  in  May,  1826,  the  church  held  a  meeting  and 
elected  Rodnpy  Pierce  and  Nathaniel  Spencer  to  that 
office.  But  these  men  did  not  accept  the  office,  and 
finally  after  a  lapse  of  more  than  seven  years,  Wash- 
ington Miller  and  Albigence  Doud  were  elected  to 
fill  their  places.  Mr.  Spencer  has,  however,  filled  the 
office  punctually  and  faithfully  for  a  number  of  years, 
since  that  time. 

Dr.  Miller  and  Mr.  Doud  were  ordained  in  their 
new  office  by  an  ecclesiastical  council,  very  much 
after  the  manner  of  the  ordination  of  a  minister. 
This  took  place  October  loth,  1833,  and  was  quite  an 


HISIOEY   OF   SALISBURY.  189 

interesting  occasion.  Among  those  who  took  part  in 
the  ceremonies,  was  the  venerable  Rev.  Jedediah 
Bushnell,  of  Cornwall,  Yermont. 

Deacon  Doud  died  ten  years  afterward,  in  1843, 
with  the  consumption.  He  was  a  man  of  great  meek- 
ness and  piety,  and  was  highly  respected  and  esteemed 
by  all  who  knew  him. 

In  the  year  following  Mr.  Doiid's  death,  Amos 
Hamilton  was  elected  to  fill  his  place,  which  office  he 
filled  with  general  satisfaction,  until  he  left  the  town 
and  moved  to  Bridport,  where  he  now  resides. 

Deacon  Hamilton  was  succeeded  by  Cyrus  Bump, 
who  holds  the  ofiice  alone  at  present. 

Dr.  Miller  remained  in  town  many  years,  and  did 
it  a  good  service,  both  in  the  exercise  of  his  profes- 
sion as  a  physician,  and  as  a  christian. 

He  finally  moved  to  Massachusetts,  where  he  died 
May  17th,  1858. 

METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHUECH. 

The  early  history  of  this  church  in  Salisbury,  is  in- 
volved in  a  good  deal  of  obscurity. 

Rev.  Messrs.  Mitchell  and  Wood  were  the  first 
Methodist  preachers  stationed  on  the  west  side  of  the 
mountains,  in  this  state.  They  were  stationed  by  the 
general  conference  at  Yergennes,  and  worked  together, 

16 


190  HISTORY  OF   SALISBUBY. 

traveling  through  the  western  part  of  the  state,  or- 
ganizing new  societies. 

Mr.  Mitchell  was  the  first  who  visited  Salisbury 
and  Leicester  in  this  mission.  He  came  here  not  far 
from  the  year  1798  or  1799,  and  formed  the  nucleus 
of  the  present  Methodist  church  in  West  Salisbury. 
Their  first  meetings  were  held,  in  Leicester,  and  were 
but  poorly  attended.  Indeed,  the  number  of  the 
members  of  the  society,  several  years  from  its  begin- 
ning, was  not  more  than  seven  or  eight.  Among  this 
number  were  Peter  Codman  and  his  wife,  Joshua 
Moosman  and  one  or  two  members  of  his  family, 
John  Deming,  and  afterward  Mark  Moosman,  Joanna 
Spencer  and  three  of  her  family. 

Of  the  doings  of  this  church,  from  its  organization 
up  to  1836,  little  or  nothing  can  be  said.  Of  its  his- 
tory since  the  latter  period,  credit  is  due  Eev.  Charles 
Morgan,  its  present  pastor,  for  the  following  facts : 

"The  church  was  included  first  in  the  Middlebury, 
then  in  the  Brandon,  and  still  later  in  the  Leicester 
circuit. 

"As  these  circuits  were  large,  the  preachers  did  not 
meet  the  people  oftener  than  once  in  two,  or  three,  or 
four  weeks,  and  then  the  preaching  frequently  occurred 
on  week-day  afternoons  and  evenings. 

"  Among  those  who  then  held  forth  the  word  of  life 
to  this  people,  may  be  mentioned.  Rev.  Messrs.  Mor- 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBTTEY.  .191 

ris,  Meeker,  Ryder,  Ally  and  Wescott,  who  preaclied 
in  school-lionses  and  private  dwellings,  which  were 
always  crowded  to  overflowing  with  men,  women  and 
children  eager  to  hear  the  "  glorious  gospel  of  the 
blessed  God,"  and  seldom,  if  ever,  were  disappointed. 

"Prosperity  smiled  upon  this  society  in  the  year 
1836,  when  the  Honorable  Henry  Olin,  father  of  the 
celebrated  Stephen  Olin,  D.  D.,  settled  in  town,  to- 
gether with  his  son  Richardson  Olin,  who  was  an  ac- 
tive member  of  the  Metliodist  church. 

"  Mr.  Olin  devoted  much  of  his  time  and  influence  to 
doing  good,  and  soon  succeeded  in  awakening  an  in- 
terest among  the  people  on  the  great  subject  of  re- 
ligion, and  in  connection  with  the  preachers  on  the 
circuit,  Rev.  Messrs.  Sayres,  Hubbard  and  Ayres, 
commenced  a  protracted  meeting  in  the  fall  of  1837, 
which  was  continued  with  great  spirit  and  power 
until  about  thirty  souls  were  converted,  most  of  whom 
united  with  the  Methodist  church.  Also  in  the  fall 
and  winter  of  1838,  special  meetings  were  held,  and 
about  twenty-flve  persons  were  converted  and  added 
to  the  church. 

"Heretofore,  the  congregations  were  crowded  in 
school-houses,  but  in  the  fall  of  1837,  Mr.  Olin  sug- 
gested the  propriety  of  erecting  a  house  of  worship, 
and  the  people  generally  feeling  the  necessity,  began 
the  work  wdtli  hearty  good  will.     Public   meetings 


192  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

were  held ;  arrangements  made,  and  Messrs.  Dyer, 
Taylor  and  Olin  were  appointed  to  procure  and  locate 
the  site.  During  the  following  winter,  materials  were 
collected,  subscriptions  solicited,  and  in  the  year  1838, 
a  neat  and  commodious  house  was  erected,  under  the 
supervision  of  Messrs.  Graves,  Flagg  and  Taylor, 
costing  about  $2,000,  which  was  promptly  paid  by 
the  people.  The  house  w^as  dedicated  to  the  worship 
of  God  in  the  spring  of  1839,  Kev.  John  Fraser 
preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon. 

"  Regular  preaching  was  now  commenced  by  Rev. 
Messrs.  Hurd  and  Harvey,  who  were  appointed  to 
Leicester  circuit,  and  was  continued  as  follows :  In 
1840,  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Hurd  and  Osgood;  in  1841, 
Chamberlain  and  Noble ;  in  1842,  Burnham,  Ford 
and  Fenton  ;  in  1843,  Shears  and  Ludlum.  In  1844, 
Salisbury  was  made  a  station  independent  of  Leices- 
ter circuit,  and  H.  H.  Smith  appointed  preacher ;  in 
1845,  W.  H.  Hull.  In  1846,  it  was  again  united  with 
the  Leicester  circuit,  and  S.  Ilewes  and  T.  F.  Stuart 
appointed  preachers;  in  1847,  Hewes  and  Pollock; 
in  1848-9,  Haseltine,  Little  and  Bidwell.  In  1850,  it 
was  again  made  a  station,  and  M.  Ludlum  appointed 
preacher.  In  1851,  no  preacher  was  sent  to  this  ap- 
pointment ;  in  1852,  J.  S.  Howland ;  in  1853,  S.  S. 
Ford,  at  which  time  there  were  twenty-eight  mem- 
bers in  the  society,  but  during  the  year,  prosperity 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY.  193 

attended  the  church,  and  twenty  were  added  to  its 
membership;  in -1854-5,  W.  Ford;  in  1856,  E.  K 
Howe  ;  in  1857,  W.  W.  Atwater ;  in  1858,  L.  Dwight, 
and  in  1859,  C.  Morgan. 

'•  Official  papers,  together  with  the  oral  information 
which  we  have  received,  authorize  us  to  say,  that  from 
1838  to  the  present  time,  the  membership  has  va- 
ried from  twenty-iive  to  sixty-five — averaging  about 
forty. 

"J^ext  to  the  church  itself,  comes  the  Sabbath 
school — an  institution  which  has  been  sustained  in 
connection  with  this  society,  and  forms  a  part  of  the 
interesting  and  holy  exercises  of  the  Sabbath.  Many 
who  there  received  their  early  religious  instructions, 
are  now,  in  the  language  of  Rev.  Mr.  Tyng,  'standing 
up  for  Jesus',  being  honorable  members  of  the  chris- 
tian church.  During  the  present  summer  (1859),  two 
large  and  interesting  Bible-classes  have  added  to  the 
influence  and  prosperity  of  the  school,  and  is  evidence 
of  the  desire  of  the  people  to  'search  the  Scriptures', 
that,  like  the  noble  Bereans  they  may  know  'whether 
these  things  are  so.'  A  library  of  three  hundred  and 
twenty-iive  volumes,  is  connected  with  the  school, 
from  which  the  scholars  select  at  their  choice,  every 
Sabbath,  thus  providing  themselves  with  wholesome 
reading  for  the  ensuing  week. 

"  Indispensable  as  a  parsonage  would  seem  to  be  in 

16* 


194  HISTORY   OF   SALISBTIRT. 

connection  with  a  church,  yet  this  society  has  never 
owned  one  until  now.  •• 

"  Tlie  necessity  of  such  a  house  has  long  been  felt, 
but  no  decided  steps  were  taken  toward  erecting  one 
until  the  fall  of  1868,  when  it  was  determined  that  it 
was  absolutely  needed,  and  the  work  was  immediately 
commenced. 

"  Subscriptions,  almost  enough  to  meet  the  expense 
of  building,  were  directly  obtained,  during  the  fol- 
lowing winter  the  timber  got  out,  and  now  (summer 
of  1859)  the  house  is  rapidly  being  completed. 

*'It  stands  nearly  opposite  the  church,  on  a  beau- 
tiful spot  of  ground  generously  donated  for  the  pur- 
pose by  Mr.  Morris  Graves.  The  house  is  neat  and 
inviting,  both  in  appearance  and  situation. 

"Although  much  more  might  be  said,  in  reference 
to  the  present  state  of  the  church,  yet  we  deem  the 
above  lines  sufficient,  hoping  that  success  may  attend 
it  in  the  future." 

Although  the  establishment  of  an  Episcopal  church 
was  contemplated  in  the  charter  of  the  town,  it  has 
to  this  day  been  neglected.  The  glebe  granted  for 
this  purpose,  was  lost  amid  the  land  controversy  with 
Leicester,  and  the  few  followers  of  the  primitive  faith 
preferring  the  rites  of  liturgical  worship,  have  been 
compelled  to  seek  communion  with  the  church  in  Mid- 
dlebury  or  Brandon. 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  195 


CHAPTEE  XYI. 

HOLLAND   WEEKS. HENRY   R.    SCHOOLCRAFT. THOMAS 

SAWYER. JONATHAN     GIBSON. ISAAC     MORE. CYRITS 

W.    HODGES. EBENEZER   WEEKS. SAMUEL   MOORE. 

Key.  Holland  Weeks  was  born  in  Brooklin,  Con- 
necticnt,  April  29tb,  1768. 

Having  been  early  instructed  in  the  doctrines  and 
usages  of  the  Puritan  church,  when  quite  young,  he 
manifested  a  strong  desire  to  prepare  himself  for  the 
christian  ministry. 

On  account  of  pecuniary  embarrassments  of  his 
father,  his  preparation  for  college  was  delayed  until 
after  moving  to  Vermont.  Under  the  instruction  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Barnet,  the  first  settled  minister  in  Middle- 
bury,  he  acquired  a  sufficient  knowledge  of  the  classics 
and  of  mathematics,  to  enable  him  to  enter  Dart- 
mouth college  in  1791,  at  which  institution  he  was 
graduated  in  1795.  He  studied  divinity  with  Rev. 
Dr.  West,  of  Stockbridge,  Massachusetts,  and  was 
ordained  .and  settled  as  pastor  over  the  church  at 
Waterbury,  Connecticut,  in  the  autumn  of  1799. 

Being  dismissed  from  his  charge  in  Waterbury,  in 


196  HISTORY   OF   6ALI8BUET. 

1807,  he  spent  several  months,  laboring  as  a  mission- 
ary, in  the  northern  parts  of  Vermont,  and  in  the 
north-eastern  parts  of  New  York. 

At  the  very  end  of  the  year  1807,  he  was  installed 
over  the  Congregational  church  in  Pittsford,  Ver- 
mont. Here  he  spent  about  seven  years  in  the  active 
duties  of  his  profession,  also  in.  jDreparing  young  men 
for  the  ministry. 

"  He  was  a  man  of  strong  intellectual  powers  and 
sanguine  temperament,  of  untiring  industry,  and  an 
earnest  and  effective  preacher. 

"  During  most  of  the  time  he  lived  in  Pittsford,  he 
had,  in  addition  to  his  pastoral  labors,  the  instruction 
of  a  number  of  students,  some  of  whom  were  studying 
the  classics,  preparatory  to  entering  college,  while 
others  were  engaged  in  the  study  of  theology. 

"  His  theological  students,  some  of  whom  had  not 
the  advantages  of  a  collegiate  education,  have  all  been 
respectable  and  useful  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  some 
of  them  have  risen  to  eminence  in  their  profession. 

"  All  of  them  regard  Mr.  Weeks  as  peculiarly  qual- 
ified for  giving  instruction,  and  many  of  them  con- 
sider him  as  the  chief  instrument  in  preparing  them 
for  the  successful  prosecution  of  their  work. 

"  His  theological  system  was  based,  as  he  thought, 
wholly  on  the  bible,  and  embraced  fully  the  arbitrary- 
system  of  John  Calvin,  and  this  system  he  not  only 


HISTOET    OF   SALISBURY.  197 

inculcated,  with  earnest  assiduity,  upon  his  pupils, 
but  carried  it  into  the  pulpit ;  in  fact  most  of  his  ser- 
mons were  pervaded  with  some  strong  doctrine  pecu- 
liar to  his  system  of  orthodoxy." 

He  preached  a  great  share  of  the  ordination  ser- 
mons in  Western  Vermont,  during  the  time  he  lived 
in  Pittsford,  and  was  often  called  into  neighboring 
states  on  similar  occasions. 

Most  of  these  sermons  are  in  print. 

Soon  after  his  ordination  in  1799,  he  was  married 
to  Harriet  B.  Hopkins,  of  Great  Barrington,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  during  his  residence  in  Pittsford,  he  was 
afflicted  in  the  event  of  her  death,  leaving  five  small 
children  to  lament  her  loss. 

Having  been  dismissed  from  his  pastoral  charge  in 
Pittsford  in  1814,  he  was  the  following  year  installed 
pastor  of  the  first  Congregational  church  in  Abing- 
ton,  Massachusetts,  where  he  continued  until  1820. 

Soon  after  his  settlement  in  Abington,  he  was 
married  to  Mrs.  Delia  Graves,  widow"  of  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Graves,  late  of  Woodstock,  Connecticut.  This 
was  an  unfortunate  connection,  for  she,  never  hav- 
ing had  any  experience  in  the  care  of  children, 
on  assuming  the  charge  of  five,  all  of  whom  were 
quite  young,  met  difficulties  to  which  she  was  unequal, 
and  in  a'  year  or  two  lost  all  influence  over  them. 
This,  in  connection  with  a  temperament  and  disposi- 


198  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

tioii  naturally  uncongenial  to  lier  husband,  led  to  a 
separation,  which  took  place  about  the  time  he  left 
Abington. 

About  this  time  his  religious  opinions  and  senti- 
ments underwent  a  radical  change.  From  the  Cal- 
vinistic  theology  he  went  to  that  of  Emanuel  Swe- 
denborg.  To  quote  his  own  words — "  Every  worldly 
consideration  was  opposed  to  my  reception  of  the  new 
dispensation.  My  salary,  my  reputation,  my  friends, 
I  saw,  from  the  first,  must  be  sacrificed.  But  still  the 
question  would  recur — what  is  truth  ?  This  I  prayed 
the  Lord  to  show^  me,  and  this  He  did  show  me,  by  a 
wonderful  combination  of  circumstances,  all  leading 
to  this  glorious  result.  Blessed  be  His  name !  I  am 
now  settled  and  grounded  in  the  truth.  All  the  evils 
I  anticipated,  and  more,  have  come  upon  me,  but  nev- 
er for  a  moment  have  I  regretted  that  I  became  a  re- 
ceiver of  the  heavenly  doctrines  of  the  Lord's  new, 
last,  and  best  dispensation.  I  always  preached  what 
I  sincerely  believed  to  be  the  truth,  and  do  so  still,  and 
shall  continue  to  do  it  so  long  as  the  Lord  shall  en- 
able me.  And  He  has  blessed  my  labors,  for  I  see 
the  new  church,  filled  with  spiritual  worshipers,  rising 
about  me  and  putting^  on  her  beautiful  garments. 
*  *  *  Indeed,  it  is  absurd  to  suppose  that  wicked 
and  profligate  characters  can  at  the  same  time  be  suf- 
ficiently spiritual  to  constitute  the  Lord's  new  church. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  199 

'[N'o  unclean  thing  shall  enter  there.'  Kone  but  the 
sincere  worshipers  and  followers  of  the  Lamb,  can  be 
of  the  number  of  his  Bride." 

The  year  following  Mr.  Weeks'  dismission  from  his 
pastoral  charge  in  Abington,  he  moved  his  family  to 
Henderson,  Jefferson  county,  New  York,  where  he 
continued  to  preach,  gratuitously,  the  doctrines  of  the 
new  church,  until  his  death,  a  period  of  more  than 
twenty-two  years. 

Within  a  week  previous  to  his  death,  he  expressed 
a  conviction  that  his  time  was  at  hand,  and  that  he 
should  not  remain  a  week,  expressing,  at  the  same 
time,  his  unwavering  faith  in  the  doctrines  of  the  new 
church,  and  attesting  the  consolation  afforded  by  them 
to  one  about  to  depart  from  the  earth,  and  finally  de- 
parted this  life  July  24th,  1843. 

As  a  man,  he  was  prompt  in  business,  urbane  in 
manners,  industrious  and  energetic  in  his  labors,  and 
sincere  in  all  his  character. 

As  a  minister,  he  was  zealous  in  his  work,  critical 
and  accurate  in  his  knowledge  of  the  doctrines  which 
he  taught,  bold  in  asserting  what  he  thought  to  be  the 
truth,  and  faithful  in  watching  for  the  care  of  the  souls 
committed  to  his  charge.* 

*  For  the  benefit  of  those  interested  in  the  genealogy  of 
Mr.  Weeks'  family,  the  following  is  inserted. 

Holland  Weeks,  the  fiithor  of  the  subject  of  the  above  no- 


200  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

Henry  R.  Schoolcraft  was  born  in  Albany  county, 
New  York,  in  1793,  and  at  an  early  age  migrated  to 
New  England.  He  came  and  settled  in  the  town  of 
Salisbury,  in  1812  or  1813,  and  assisted  in  the  erec- 
tion and  management  of  the  glass-works  of  the  V^er- 
mont  Company  both  here  and  in  Middlebury.  At  a 
subsequent  period  he  went  to  Keene,  New  Hampshire, 
where  he  engaged  extensively,  on  his  own  resources, 
in  the  same  branch  of  manufacture.  "While  living  at 
Lake  Dunmore  he  erected  a  chemical  furnace  and  ex- 
perimental laboratory,  and  while  prosecuting  the  arts 
in  a  practical  way,  studied  chemistry  and  mineralogy 
under  Professor  F.  Hall  of  Middlebury  College. 

When  at  the  termination  of  tiie  war,  in  1815,  that 
branch  of  American  manufactures  was  destroyed  by 


tice,   was   the  son  of  Ebenezer   Weeks,   the  son  of  Joseph 

Weeks,  the  son  of Weeks,  one  of  three  brothers  who 

came  from  England  about  1630,  and  settled  in  the  vicinity  of 
Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Hannah  AVeeks,  the  mother  of  Rev.  Holland  Weeks,  was 
the  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Sarah  Mosely,  daughter  of  John 
and  Sarah  Capen,  daughter  of  Ephraim  and  Sarah  Thayer, 
daughter  of  John  and  Ruth  Bass,  daughter  of  John  and  Pris- 
cllla  Alden. 

Aldcn  was  the  first  man  who  stepped  upon  Plymouth  Rock, 
at  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims,  December  21st,  1620.  See 
Thayer's  Family  Memorial. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  201 

the  vast  importation  of  the  foreign  article,  Mr.  School- 
craft relinquished  that  pursuit  forever,  and,  determin- 
ing to  seek  his  fortunes  in  the  West,  went  to  the 
Mississippi  Yalley. 

He  explored  the  region  of  country  which  now  con- 
stitutes Missouri  and  Arkansas  (including  Kansas 
and  Nebraska  and  the  Indian  Territory).  He  pub- 
lished in  1819  a  treatise  on  the  lead  mines  and  geol- 
ogy of  Missouri,  and  an  account  of  his  adventures  in 
the  Ozark  Mountains.  These  efforts  procured  him  the 
notice  of  government,  and  he  received  the  appoint- 
ment of  mineralogist  and  geologist  in  a  public  expe- 
dition to  explore  the  sources  of  the  Mississippi  River. 

His  narrative  of  the  expedition,  published  early  in 
1821,  was  favorably  received  and  led  to  further  trusts 
in  the  public  service,  which  introduced  him  exten- 
sively to  the  knowledge  of  the  Indian  tribes,  whose 
language  and  history  he  thoroughly  studied.  He  was 
appointed  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  for  the 
north-western  department  of  the  United  States,  and 
resided  many  years  in  the  exercise  of  that  office  in 
the  basin  of  Lake  Superior,  at  Michilimackinac,  and 
at  Detroit.  In  1847  he  removed  to  Washington, 
District  of  Columbia,  and  received  the  appointment 
of  historical  agent  for  the  Indian  tribes,  and  has  since 
been  employed  in  publishing  a  national  work  on  the 
subject. 
17 


202  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

Mr.  Schoolcraft  has  published  four  separate  volumes 
of  travels  in  the  West,  and  several  volumes  on  the 
natural  history,  and  manners  and  mental  traits  of  the 
Indians. 

In  1847  he  published  two  volumes  of  Indian  tales 
and  legends,  gathered  from  the  Indian  wigwams.  He 
has  also  issued  an  Indian  miscellany  under  the  name 
0/ieota,  and  made  other  contributions  to  American 
Mies  lettres. 

He  owes  every  thing  to  his  own  exertions,  and  has 
been  diligent,  temperate,  hopeful,  and  enterprising 
from  his  youth. 

He  embraced  Christianity  nearly  forty  years  ago, 
which,  to  use  his  own  words,  "has  cheered  him  on  in 
every  honest  endeavor  to  encounter  tlie  combats  of 
life,  and  has  perpetually  cast  its  brilliant  beams  into 
the  future." 

He  still  resides  at  Washington,  District  of  Col- 
umbia. 

Thomas  Sawyer  was  born  in  Bolton,  Massachusetts, 
in  1742,  and  was  bred  a  mill-wright.  Being  a  man 
of  adventurous  and  fearless  spirit,  he  naturally  took  a 
prominent  part  in  the  revolutionary  movements  of 
the  age  in  which  he  lived. 

He  was  placed  in  many  important  offices  in  Massa- 
chusetts during  the  preliminary  battles  of  the  Revolu- 
tion.   In  the  latter  part  of  1776  he  was  stationed  for 


HISTOBY   OF   SALISBURY.  203 

a  short  timo  at  Ticonderoga,  and  when  his  time  of 
service  had  expired  at  that  place  he  returned  to  his 
family  in  Massachusetts.  This  journey  (a  long  one  at 
that  time)  was  made  in  the  winter  in  company  with 
others,  and  all  experienced  the  most  intense  suffering 
from  a  want  of  food  and  clothing. 

In  making  this  journey,  he  passed  through  a  part 
of  Yermont,  and  being  impressed  with  the  opportuni- 
ties here  presented  for  enterprise  and  usefulness,  he 
concluded  to  take  up  his  residence  here  as  soon  as 
possible. 

Accordingly,  in  1777,  he  moved  his  family  to  Clar- 
endon, where  he  built  a  block-house,  bullet  proof,  the 
whole  being  made  of  solid  oak  timber.  Even  the 
windows  w^ere  provided  with  such  heavy  shutters, 
that  a  bullet  could  not  be  made  to  pass  through  them. 
This  house,  or  more  properly,  fort,  was  a  place  of 
common  resort  for  all  the  neighbors  in  times  of  dan- 
ger. 

Mr.  Sawyer  remained  in  Clarendon  until  1783, 
when  he  commenced  operations  in  Salisbury,  at  the 
falls  (where  the  village  now  is),  and  near  Lake  Dun- 
more.  Here  he  erected  the  first  saw-mill,  and  on  the 
first  day  of  June,  1783,  sawed  the  first  log,  having  in 
two  months  erected  a  dam  and  a  building  sufiiciently 
large  for  a  saw-mill  and  a  grist-mill,  the  latter  of 
which  was  put  in  operation  in  the  following  winter. 


2Ui  HISTORY    OF    BALISBUKY. 

As  this  part  of  Salisbury  was  claimed  by  Leicester 
at  that  time,  he  was  tlie  first  representative  from  that 
town,  in  the  state  legislature,  and  was  also  one  of  its 
first  magistrates. 

He  finally  left  the  state  in  1795,  and  settled  with 
his  family  in  what  is  now  called  Manchester,  Ontario 
county,  New  York,  where  he  died  three  years  after- 
ward. He  was  much  resj)ected  and  beloved  wherever 
he  was  known. 

Jonathan  Gibson  was  born  in  Fitchburg,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  the  year  1775.  When  a  youth,  he  deter- 
mined in  whatever  calling  he  engaged,  to  pursue  it 
with  energy,  industry  and  economy. 

Inheriting  little  or  nothing  from  his  father,  he 
knew  that  whatever  he  might  possess  in  the  future 
must  come  from  his  own  exertions. 

Possessed  of  good  health  and  a  strong  constitution 
(which  were  better  than  a  heritage  of  money),  he 
chose  to  seek  his  fortunes  amid  the  uncultivated  hills 
of  Yermont,  and  came  into  Salisbury  as  early  as  1798, 
but  did  not  make  a  permanent  settlement  until  some 
years  later. 

At  the  time  of  his  settlement,  he  had  no  property, 
but  purchased  a  farm  on  such  liberal  terms  of  pay- 
ment, that  with  his  great  industry  and  economy,  in  a 
few  years,  he  was  not  only  free  from  debt,  but  was 
considered  one  of  the  most  prosperous  farmers   in 


Qj^O-^rL^x^^^4:.,rt:r^^ 


'(TP'l^. 


^ 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBUEY.  207 

town,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  a  man  of  con- 
siderable wealth. 

Mr.  Gibson  was  always  ready  to  assist  in  promoting 
the  public  good,  both  by  his  personal  services  and  his 
purse.  Probably  few  men  in  town  have  done  more, 
in  proportion  to  their  ability,  to  promote  the  public 
weal. 

He  contributed  liberally  in  building  three  meeting- 
houses in  town,  and  gave  much  to  support  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  in  them  after  they  were  built ;  and 
at  four  or  five  different  times  has  made  liberal  dona- 
tions to  Middlebury  College. 

He  served  the  town  in  the  capacity  of  one  of  the 
selectmen,  seven  or  eight  years,  and  was  its  repre- 
sentative of  the  General  Assembly,  in  1815, 1816  and 
1817.  He  also  held  other  responsible  town  ofiices  for 
a  great  number  of  years. 

On  the  11th  day  of  March,  in  the  year  1800,  lie 
was  married  to  Deborah  Alden,  of  Leicester,  witli 
whom  he  lived  until  her  death,  which  occurred  July 
12th,  1822. 

He  was  again  married  on  the  29th  of  January,  1826, 
to  Esther  Spencer,  of  this  town,  who  still  survives 
him,  and  lives  on  his  old  homestead. 

He  never  had  any  children,  unless  by  adoption. 

In  his  will  he  bequeathed  a  thousand  dollars  to  the 
Congregational  Church  in  Salisbury,  the  interest  of 
n* 


208  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

which  is  to  be  appropriated  annually  for  the  support 
of  the  Gospel  ministry  in  that  church,  forever.  He 
also  bequeathed  live  hundred  dollars  to  the  Methodist 
church  in  this  town,  the  interest  of  which  is  to  be  ap- 
plied, yearly,  to  sustain  preaching  in  that  society. 

He  also  bequeathed  to  the  corporation  of  Middle- 
bury  College  five  shares  (with  the  accumulated  in- 
terest), in  the  stock  of  the  Rutland  &  Burlington 
Railroad  Company — which,  at  the  time  of  the  bequest, 
was  supposed  to  be  good  property. 

Mr.  Gibson  died  of  a  cancer,  November  22d,  1851, 
much  respected  and  loved  by  a  large  circle  of  ac- 
quaintances and  friends. 

Isaac  Moore  was  a  native  of  this  town,  and  grad- 
uated at  the  University  of  Vermont,  in  the  class  of 
1814. 

From  his  early  childhood  he  had  a  great  inclina- 
tion for  hunting  and  fishing,  and  for  the  wild  adven- 
tures wliich  the  mountains  and  lakes  of  his  native 
state  afi'orded  him. 

When  about  seventeen  years  of  age,  he  lost  one  of 
his  legs  by  amputation,  which  became  necessary  from 
the  efl:ects  of  a  fever  sore,  contracted  by  a  sudden 
cold. 

This  misfortune  for  a  time  diverted  his  attention 
from  his  favorite  amusements;  and  being  naturally 
inclined  to  study,  he  commenced  the  usual  prepara- 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

tion  for  college,  whicli  lie  pursued  with  no  little  zeal, 
and  finally  was  graduated,  holding  quite  a  superior 
position  in  his  class. 

His  father,  on  account  of  the  physical  misfortune  of 
his  son,  did  every  thing  in  his  power  to  fit  him  for  a 
professional  life,  or  for  such  intellectual  calling  as  his 
mind  might  choose.  He  freely  aided  him  through 
his  college  course,  and  while  pursuing  the  studies  of 
the  profession  of  the  law. 

After  completing  his  professional  studies  with  Rob- 
ert B.  Bates,  Esq.,  of  Middlebury,  Vermont,  he  kept 
aloof  for  some  time  from  any  particular  business,  and 
seemed  to  be  undetermined  whether  to  make  use  of 
his  education  in  gaining  a  livelihood  among  men,  or 
to  run  his  chance  of  getting  even  a  poor  living  in  pur- 
suit of  his  old,  favorite  amusements,  retired  from  civ- 
ilized life,  among  the  rocks,  and  trees,  and  waters  of 
the  western  mountains. 

His  decision  finally  turned  in  favor  of  the  latter 
occupation,  and  he  settled  down  on  the  border  of  some 
obscure  lake,  among  the  mountains  of  north-eastern 
New  York,  where  he  still  lives,  in  a  state  of  celibacy, 
in  a  little  hut  or  wigwam,  with  no  company,  unless  it 
be  his  dogs,  or  some  Vvdld  animal  which  he  may  have 
caught  and  tamed.* 

*  This  notice  was  written  in  1850. — Ed. 


210  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

Mr.  Moore  has  made  occasional  visits  to  his  native 
town,  and  always  excites  great  curiosity  both  by  the 
manner  of  his  living  and  by  his  appearance.  He  is 
usually  attended  by  two  or  three  dogs,  one  tied  to 
each  arm,  while  the  third  is  allowed  to  run  at  large, 
and  walks  with  a  crutch  and  cane,  while  his  gun  is 
adjusted  in  a  sling  across  his  back. 

Little  of  his  classical  culture  is  apparent  in  his  ap- 
pearance now,  nor  would  one  suppose  from  his  looks 
that  he  had  been  fitted  to  participate  in  the  higher 
enjoyments  of  intellectual  life. 

It  may  be  that  we  shall  yet  receive  from  the  pen 
of  Mr.  Moore  his  own  history,  and  the  history  of  the 
animals  among  which  he  has  spent  his  life.  It  may 
be  that  it  was  his  intention  to  give  a  new  character 
to  the  profession  of  the  hunter,  and  mingle  with  its 
adventure  the  influences  of  literature  and  science. 

"We  hope  that  one  or  the  other  of  these  may  be  his 
object,  and  that  we  may  yet  read  his  story  of  his  own 
solitude,  and  follow  his  mind  in  its  investigations  into 
the  nature  and  habits  of  the  beasts,  and  fowls,  and 
fish  of  the  mountains  among  which  he  has  so  long 
found  a  home. 

Rev.  Cyrus  W.  Hodges  was  a  native  of  Leicester, 
and  was  left  an  orphan  at  an  early  age.  Until  he 
was  about  fourteen  years  of  age  little  attention  was 
paid  either  to  his  moral  or  intellectual  culture.     At 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  211 

this  time  he  found  a  home  in  the  family  of  Sylvester 
Kenny  of  this  town,  where  he  was  strictly  taught  in 
the  doctrines  of  the  Puritan  church,  and  sent  to  the 
district  school.  He  was  found  to  be  an  apt  scholar 
and  anxious  to  obtain  a  thorough  education. 

When  about  nineteen  years  old  he  w^as  led  to  cher- 
ish a  hope  in  the  merits  of  Christ,  and  united  with  the 
Congregational  Church  in  Salisbury. 

This  gave  renewed  life  to  his  desire  for  a  thorough 
education,  to  prepare  himself  for  the  ministry,  but 
not  having  the  means  of  obtaining  a  collegiate  edu- 
cation, the  prospects  of  his  being  able  to  enter  the 
ministry  at  one  time  seemed  very  doubtful,  and  the 
purpose  was  almost  abandoned. 

Not  long  after  his  union  with  the  church  in  Salis- 
bury he  became  interested  in  the  Baptist  system  of 
theology,  and  through  the  influence  of  friends  was 
induced  to  join  the  Baptist  church  in  Brandon, 
Vermont. 

At  this  event,  again  returned  the  desire  to  enter  the 
ministry,  and  with  the  advice  of  others  he  entered 
immediately  upon  the  studies  of  his  profession. 
Speaking  of  himself  at  this  time,  he  says :  "  Although 
I  had  commenced  a  course  of  study  with  a  view  of 
preparing  myself  for  the  great  work,  I  was  early  im- 
portuned to  assume  a  place  among  the  heralds  of  the 
Cross.       Encouraged    in    this   by   some    injudicious 


212  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

advisers,  whom  I  respected  and  loved  as  Gospel 
ministers,  I  entered  upon  the  active  and  solemn  re- 
sponsibilities of  the  sacred  work  much  too  soon  and 
with  very  meagre  qualifications." 

Mr.  Hodges  realized  great  benefit  in  training  his 
mind  by  writing  out  his  sermons.  In  this  way,  es- 
pecially, he  acquired  an  accurate  knowledge  and  use 
of  language. 

The  early  part  of  his  ministry  seems  to  have  been 
rather  dogmatical,  indicating  unusually  strong  desires 
to  build  up  his  own  church ;  but  it  appears  that  in 
riper  years  he  almost  entirly  lost  sight  of  this  pecu- 
liarity, and  entered  the  field  of  usefulness  on  the  most 
liberal  and  charitable  ground  toward  all  Christian  de- 
nominations. He  has  preached  the  Gospel  nearly 
twenty  years,  and  has  recently  published  a  volume  of 
twenty-two  sermons,  which  are  highly  approved  by 
all  who  have  read  them,  for  the  sound  moral  instruc- 
tion which  they  contain.* 

Ebenezer  Weeks,  son  of  Holland  and  Hannah 
Weeks,  was  born  July  16th,  1784,  and  moved  when 
quite  a  small  boy,  with  his  parents,  to  this  town. 

Being  of  rather  a  frail  constitution,  and  unequal  to 


*  This  notice  of  Rev.  Mr.  Hodges  seems  to  be  very  imper- 
fect, but  the  editor  has  not  the  facts  to  make  it  complete.  It 
is  given  as  it  appears  in  the  manuscript  of  the  author. 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  213 

the  hard  labors  of  clearing  the  land  and  preparing  it 
for  the  purposes  of  agriculture,  he  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  study,  to  which  he  had  a  natural  inclination, 
and  entered  Middlebury  College,  in  1808. 

He  pursued  the  studies  of  his  classic  course  with 
great  zeal  and  success,  until  suddenly  taken  away  by 
the  hand  of  death,  in  the  senior  year  of  his  college  life. 

Rev.  Levi  Parsons,  in  his  memoirs,  gives  the  fol- 
lowing notice  of  him : 

''February  l^th,  1812.— This  day  attended  the  fu- 
neral of  one  of  my  collegiate  brothers.  Ebenezer 
Weeks  has  gone  to  his  long  wished-for  home.  He 
often  gave  me  pious  instruction.  I  looked  to  him  as  to 
a  father,  and  yet  his  early  departure,  so  afflictive  to 
an  individual,  is  justly  esteemed  a  public  loss.  He 
was  an  excellent  classical  scholar,  possessed  a  discrimi- 
nating mind  and  sound  judgment,  and  not  a  few  had 
raised  expectations  of  his  future  usefulness.  But  it 
pleased  Him  whose  thoughts  are  not  as  our  thoughts, 
to  number  this  young  man  among  the  dead.  Only  a 
few  months  before  his  class  received  the  honors  of  col- 
lege, he  was  hurried  away  to  the  grave  by  a  typhus 
fever. 

"As  a  swelling  in  his  throat  rendered  him  incapa- 
ble of  speaking,  lie  signified  his  expectation  of  a 
speedy  death,  by  writing  on  the  hand  of  a  friend  the 
-word  death. 


214  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

"  Being  requested,  a  short  time  before  he  expired, 
to  express  by  a  sign  the  state  of  his  mind,  he  stretched 
forth  his  pale,  trembling  hand,  and  wrote  on  the  hand 
of  his  brother  the  name  of  Jesus. 

"  Daniel  O.  Morton,  a  class-mate  of  the  deceased, 
prepared  and  delivered  a  eulogy  on  the  character  of 
his  deceased  friend,  in  which  is  justly  set  forth  the 
traits  of  his  Christian  character,  and  his  superior  intel- 
lectual gifts.  He  says  of  him,  'That,  though  young, 
he  was  a  learned  man,  and  lived  agreeable  to  his  own 
maxim  —  Yivere  hene  est  vivere  jpro  gloria  Dei.^  " 

Samuel  Moore  was  one  of  the  original  grantees  of 
the  town,  and  in  1762  surveyed  its  north  line,  begin- 
ning at  the  creek,  and  thence  eastward  as  far  as  the 
foot  of  the  mountain,  to  the  north-east  corner  of  home 
lot,  No.  1.  At  this  time  he  also  laid  out  the  two  tiers 
of  home  lots,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  plan  of  the 
town,  and  then  returned  to  his  home  in  Connecticut. 

In  consequence  of  the  controversy  between  Salis- 
bury and  Leicester,  Mr.  Moore  did  not  lay  out  any 
part  of  his  share  of  lands,  except  what  he  drew  among 
the  home  lots,  and  this  he  is  believed  to  have  lost  in 
the  claims  under  Leicester  charter. 

After  the  alteration  of  the  north  line  of  the  town,  in 
1786,  he  pitched  a  hundred  acres  on  the  northern 
boundary,  where  Alonzo  Board  man  and  Turner  Board- 
num  now  live,  and  although  he  never  made  any  per- 


HISTOEY   OF   SALISBURY.  215 

raanent  settlement  here,  it  is  very  probable  that  he 
commenced  clearing  his  land  and  paid  taxes  on  it  in 
1788  and  1789. 

Mr.  Moore  was  a  man  well  known  for  his  mathema- 
tical talent,  as  well  as  for  his  executive  force  of  char- 
acter. "  He  was  a  profound  mathematician,  and  en- 
gaged much  in  the  instruction  of  young  men  in  what 
was  called  the  surveyor's  art.  He  published  a  treatise 
on  surveying,  with  a  table  of  logarithms.  It  was  the 
earliest  work  on  that  branch  of  mathematical  science 
published  in  this  country.  It  introduced  the  method 
of  computing  contents  by  calculation  entirely,  with- 
out measuring  triangles  by  scale  and  dividers.  It 
was  a  valuable  treatise,  but  was  early  superseded  by 
a  more  finished  one  by  Kev.  Abel  Flint,  in  which 
much  was  borrowed  from  Mr.  Moore." 

18 


216  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 


CHAPTER  XYII. 

REVOLUTIONARY     TIMES. DIFFICULTIES     OF     THE     FIRST 

SETTLERS. AMOS     STORY.  — -  MRS.     STORY. JOSHUA 

GRAVES. 

All  the  original  grantees  of  this  town  lived  in 
Connecticut,  and  many  of  the  first  settlers  here  were 
emigrants  from  Litchfield  county  in  that  state. 

Judge  Church,  in  his  centennial  address,  says :  "  The 
spirit  of  emigration,  that  same  Anglo-Saxon  temper- 
ament which  brought  our  ancestors  into  the  country, 
and  which  constantly  pushes  forward  to  the  trial  of 
unknown  fortune,  began  its  manifestations  before  the 
revolution,  and  sought  its  gratification  first  in  Yer- 
mont.  Yermont  is  the  child  of  Litchfield  county. 
We  gave  to  her  her  first  governor,  and  three  gover. 
nors  beside ;  as  many  as  three  senators  in  Congress, 
and  also  many  of  her  most  efiicient  founders  and 
early  distinguished  citizens.  Chittendens,  Aliens, 
Galushas,  Chipmans,  Skinner  and  others.  The  atti- 
tude assumed  by  Yermont  in  the  early  stages  of  the 
revolutionary  war,  in  respect  to  Canada  on  the  north, 
and  the  threatening  states  of  New  York  and  New 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  217 

Hampshire  on  either  side,  was  peculiar  and  delicate, 
and  demanded  the  most  adroit  policy  to  secure  her 
purpose  of  independence.  In  her  dilemma,  her  most 
sagacious  men  resorted  to  the  councils  of  her  old 
friends  of  Litchfield  county,  and  it  is  said  that  her 
final  course  was  shaped,  and  her  designs  accom- 
plished, by  the  advice  of  a  confidential  council,  as- 
sembled at  the  house  of  Governor  Wolcott,  in  the 
village  of  Litchfield." 

The  settlers  thought  of  Connecticut  with  all  the  as- 
sociations of  home,  and  felt  that  whatever  came  from 
that  source  was  better  adapted  to  their  wants  than 
from  any  other,  and  consequently  readily  adopted  the 
advice  and  example  of  those  whom  they  had  left.  On 
the  other  hand,  those  who  remained  behind  took  a 
lively  interest  in  the  welfare  of  those  they  had  sent 
out,  and  did  much  to  encourage  them,  both  in  their 
emigration  and  in  the  labors  of  their  final  settlement, 
though  it  is  true  that  it  was  many  years  from  the  be- 
ginning of  this  undertaking  before  the  prospects  of 
settling  the  new  town  were  very  flattering,  or  even 
met  with  much  encouragement. 

Indeed,  it  appears  both  from  the  early  records  of 
the  town  and  from  the  testimony  of  aged  living 
witnesses, .  that  the.  original  proprietors  experienced 
great  difiiculty  in  getting  in  settlers.  They  first  of- 
fered any  who  would  become  actual  settlers,  one  hun- 


218  HISTORY   OF   SALISBTTRT. 

dred  acres  of  land  as  a  gratuity,  but  even  this  offer 
did  not  serve  as  a  sufficient  inducement.  The  country 
was  an  unbroken  wilderness,  without  roads  or  the  or- 
dinary means  of  subsistence  ;  their  provisions,  carried 
on  their  backs  from  the  old  settlements,  were  neces- 
sarily scant,  the  forests  were  infested  with  savage 
beasts  and  savage  Indians,  who  had  at  this  time  be- 
come more  hostile  in  their  habits  and  dispositions,  on 
account  of  the  war  between  the  English  and  the 
French,  which  had  been  brought  to  a  close  but 
a  short  time  previous.  The  war  with  our  motlier 
country,  with  all  its  consequent  calamities,  was  still 
hanging  over  them,  and  what  was  exceedingly  dis- 
couraging to  a  rapid  settlement,  the  controversy  be- 
tween the  early  settlers  of  this  state  and  the  govern- 
ment of  New  York,  rendered  their  titles  doubtful  in 
the  eyes  of  many. 

Tliese  circumstances  combined  operated  to  prevent 
any  considerable  settlement  being  made  for  a  number 
of  years.  And  after  these  difficulties  were  in  a  mea- 
sure removed,  and  people  began  to  take  a  greater 
interest  in  the  new  settlement,  all  at  once  it  turned 
out  that  Leicester  charter,  apparently  of  prior  date, 
was  located  so  as  to  embrace  a  large  portion  of  the 
lands  of  Salisbury. 

In  fact,  it  seems  that  little  or  no  interest  was  felt 
in  the  settlement  by  any  even  among  tlie  original 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBUEY.  219 

grantees  until  the  offer  in  1774  of  a  gratuity  of  two 
hundred  acres  to  any  person,  in  addition  to  his  ori- 
ginal share,  who  would  become  an  actual  settler. 

At  this  offer  one  or  tw^o  families,  though  not  original 
proprietors,  undertook  the  somewhat  hazardous  ex- 
periment of  making  for  themselves  a  home  in  Salis- 
bury. 

The  first  among  them  were  Joshua  Graves  and  his 
son  Jesse,  who  came  into  town  early  in  the  spring  of 
1774.  They  pitched  a  hundred  acres  where  Col- 
umbus Smith  now  lives,  intending  to  locate  in  the 
north-west  corner  of  the  town.  Here  they  built  a 
small  log-house,  cleared  up  a  few  acres  of  land,  and 
sowed  it  ^to  wheat,  and  early  in  September  returned 
to  their  home  in  Arlington,  where  they  spent  the  re- 
maining part  of  the  season.  This  was  the  first  clear- 
ing made  for  the  purpose  of  agriculture  in  Salisbury. 
The  following  year  Mr.  Graves  again  visited  his  newly 
made  home,  to  which  he  finally  moved  his  family  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  winter  of  1775. 

Amos  Story,  a  native  of  [N'orwich,  Connecticut, 
and  his  son  Solomon,  in  September,  1774,  but  a  few 
months  after  Mr.  Graves'  conmiencement,  pitched 
a  hundred  acres  south  of  and  adjoining  that  of  Mr. 
Graves.  Here  he  also  put  up  a  small  log-house  and 
commenced  clearing  his  land,  with  the  expectation  of 
raising  w4ieat  sufficient  to  supply  bread  for  his  family, 

18* 


lIISToKY    OF    SALISBURY. 

which  he  intended  to  move  to  his  new  home  the  fol- 
lowing year. 

But  the  ways  of  Providence  are  not  like  our  ways, 
and  but  a  few  weeks  after  he  had  commenced  his 
clearing  he  was  killed  by  the  fall  of  a  tree.  Solomon, 
his  son,  who  at  that  time  was  a  lad  about  fourteen 
years  old,  was  at  work  with  his  father  in  the  woods  at 
the  time  of  the  accident,  and  was  compelled  to  chop 
the  tree  quite  off  in  two  places  (and  it  was  a  large 
sugar  maple)  before  lie  could  roll  it  off  his  father,  who 
was  already  dead  underneath  it. 

As  Mr.  Graves  and  his  son  had  previously  left  the 
country,  Solomon  was  compelled  to  go  several  miles 
through  the  wilderness  into  Middlebury  for  assistance, 
where  he  found  Benjamin  Smauley,  and  his  two  sons 
Imri  and  Alfred,  who  returned  with  him  and  took  the 
body  of  the  deceased,  and  carried  it  and  buried  it  in 
the  interval  land,  a  few  yards  from  the  north  bank  of 
Middlebury  river.  This  place  of  burial  was  j ust  south 
of  the  place  where  Mr.  F.  Nash  now  lives.  Whether 
any  coffin  was  made  for  the  occasion,  is  a  matter  of 
uncertainty.  It  is  not  impossible  that  a  rough  box 
was  made  from  boards  which  may  have  been  floated 
down  the  creek  for  other  purposes,  from  Sutherland's 
Falls,  in  Rutland,  that  being  the  location  of  the  near- 
est saw-mill  at  that  early  day. 

Previous  to  any  locality  being  agreed  upon  in  Mid- 


IIISTOItY    OF    SALISBURY.  221 

dlebniy  for  the  burial  of  the  dead,  Benjamin  Smau- 
lej  lost  two  children,  whose  bodies  were  buried  by 
the  side  of  that  of  Mr.  Story.  One  of  them  was  An- 
na, aged  twenty  years,  who  perished  in  the  woods, 
having  been  lost,  and  the  other  Zerah,  aged  eighteen 
years,  who  died  of  fever. 

One  or  two  other  persons,  not  belonging  to  Mr. 
Smauley's  family  were  buried  in  the  same  place,  but 
whose  names  are  forgotten,  and  no  monument  now  re- 
mains to  mark  their  name,  or  age,  or  even  the  exact 
place  of  their  burial. 

As  these  persons  were  buried  on  the  curving  bank 
of  tlie  river,  a  portion  of  which  w^as  washed  away 
from  year  to  year  by  the  current  of  the  river,  it  is 
very  doubtful  that  any  of  the  bones  can  now  be  found. 

Soon  after  the  death  of  Amos  Story,  his  son  Solo- 
mon returned  to  his  friends  in  Rutland,  and  carried 
the  sad  intelligence  of  his  father's  death  to  his  be- 
reaved mother,  and  other  relatives. 

It  would  seem  that  the  painful  circumstances  of 
Mr.  Story's  death  would  deter  his  surviving  family 
from  any  further  effort,  at  least  for  several  years,  to 
settle  a  new  country,  but  this  event  appeared  rather 
to  excite  in  Mrs.  Story  a  still  stronger  desire  to  enter 
upon  the  hardships  of  a  pioneer  of  the  wilderness,  and 
to  clear  up  and  cultivate  the  land  which  her  husband 
had  selected  for  their  future  home. 


222  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

These  hardsliips,  and  the  difficulties  and  troubles 
following  the  death  of  her  husband,  without  doubt, 
did  much  in  the  development  of  those  extraordinary 
powers  of  mind  which  made  her  character  so  illustri- 
ous in  succeeding  years. 

Mrs.  Story  was  a  woman  of  very  large  stature  and 
masculine  appearance,  and  possessed  all  that  physical 
strength  and  hardihood  which  her  looks  would  indicate. 
Few  men  ever  possessed  so  much  resolution,  firmness 
and  fearlessness  as  she.  Possessed  of  good  health  and 
an  iron  constitution,  she  feared  neither  tory,  Indian, 
or  wild  beast. 

She  could  use  the  ,axe  with  a  skill  and  power  which 
few  of  her  neighbors,  thougli  most  of  them  were  stal- 
wart men,  could  equal ;  and  in  handling  the  lever,  in 
rolling  logs,  every  one  admitted  her  to  be  among  the 
foremost  and  most  efficient. 

Having  such  qualifications  as  these,  Mrs.  Story,  in 
company  with  her  three  boys,  Solomon,  Ephraim  and 
Samuel,  and  her  two  daughters,  Hannah  and  Susanna, 
moved  to  their  farm  in  Salisbury  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  year  1775,  and  took  possession  of  the  log  house 
her  husband  and  son  had  erected  for  their  reception 
the  year  previous. 

Here,  amid  the  midnight  howls  of  the  wolves,  and 
bears,  and  panthers,  and  surrounded  with  the  hostile 
Indians  ready  to  saci'ifice  any  property  or  life  for  the 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBUEY.  223 

gratification  of  their  own  wishes,  Mrs.  Storj,  accom- 
panied only  by  a  family  of  small  children,  the  oldest 
not  yet  having  arrived  to  the  age  of  maturity,  eagerly 
and  hopefully  undertook  the  work  of  making  for  her 
family  a  home. 

Here  she  labored  with  her  boys  on  the  farm,  taking 
the  lead  in  the  labors  of  clearing  the  land,  raising 
grain  and  other  products  necessary  to^  sustain  her 
growing  family,  until  the  early  part  of  the  year  1777. 

Soon  after  it  was  known  by  the  settlers  in  this  region 
that  war  existed  between  England  and  her  colonies  here? 
it  was  thought  best  that  the  inhabitants,  so  few  in  num 
ber  in  this  vicinity,  should  either  remove  to  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  state,  where  the  population  was  more 
dense,  and  where  they  could  better  protect  themselves 
from  the  hostility  of  the  Indians,  or  return  to  their 
former  homes,  which  were  mostly  in  Connecticut,  and 
there  await  the  issue  of  the  war.  But  Mrs.  Story, 
being  able  to  use  the  musket  to  good  advantage  on 
necessary  occasions,  as  well  as  the  axe  and  lever, 
(though  it  is  not  probable  that  she  was  ever  particu- 
larly distinguished  in  the  use  of  fire-arms),  concluded 
to  remain  with  her  children,  and  undertake  the  risks 
of  completing  her  settlement,  even  among  the  dangers 
of  a  time  of  war,  and  did  remain  on  her  farm  until 
most  of  the  settlers  had  left  this  part  of  the  country, 
and  then  she  went  no  farther  south  than  the  northern 


224 


mSTOKT   OF   SALISBURY. 


part  of  Eiitland,  and  that  only  to  spend  the  winter 
seasons,  for  it  is  believed  she  returned  to  her  farm  oc- 
casionally, and  continued  the  work  of  clearing  her 
land,  and  raised  some  crops  nearly  if  not  every  year 
during  the  war. 

Mrs.  Story  was  a  woman  of  profound  integrity. 
What  she  said  might  always  be  relied  upon  as  truth. 
The  writer  liv;ed  a  neighbor  to  her  from  his  infancy  to 
the  time  of  her  death,  and  can  vouch  for  the  scrupu- 
lousness she  always  manifested  for  the  truth  of  her 
stories,  (of  which  she  used  to  tell  a  great  many),  con- 
cerning the  times  of  the  American  revolution. 

She  has  frequently  remarked,  that  she  was  the  first 
white  woman  who  was  known  to  have  passed  a  night 
in  Salisbury  or  Middlebury.  That  first  night  was  the 
one  succeeding  her  arrival  from  Rutland,  and  was 
passed  at  the  hut  of  Mr.  Smauley,  when  she  made  her 
first  visit  to  the  grave  of  her  deceased  husband. 

She  was  a  tp-ue  whig  of  the  times  of  the  revolution, 
and  participated  greatly  in  the  spirit  of  her  party ; 
and  her  position  in  this  new  country  gave  her  oppor- 
tunities to  show  that  she  was  not  a  friend  to  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  in  name  only,  but  was 
ready  to  make  sacrifices  for  it.  Indeed,  her  house 
was  an  asylum  for  all  her  country's  friends.  She 
worked  zealously  against  the  royalists,  and  earned  for 
herself  quite  an  illustrious  name  as  a  heroine. 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBUKY.  225 

The  following  incident  took  place  early  in  the  spring 
of  1776,  after  most  of  the  settlers  had  left  the  country, 
and  is  given  very  nearly  in  her  own  words : 

"  The  snow  had  melted  away  from  the  mountains, 
and  the  creek  had  become  so  swollen  as  to  overflow 
all  the  low  lands  in  its  vicinity,  when  a  party  of  In- 
dians came  from  the  north,  seeking  booty,  pillaging 
all  the  houses  they  could  find,  and  afterward  burning 
them,  together  w^ith  barns,  farming  tools,  and  other 
things  of  value.  The  first  intimation  we  had  of  the 
presence  of  these  Indians,  was  the  discovery  of  them 
pillaging  Mr.  Graves'  house,  which  stood  about  sev- 
enty rods  from  ours. 

As  Mr.  Graves  left  his  farm  in  September  of  the 
year  previous,  and  had  not  returned,  the  Indians 
probably  found  nothing  of  value,  so  they  set  fire  to  his 
house  and  came  over  to  ours,  not,  however,  until  we 
had  secured  our  most  valuable  articles  of  household 
goods,  and  safely  deposited  them  in  our  canoe,  which 
lay  at  the  waters  edge,  but  a  few  steps  from  our  door. 
Unobserved  by  the  Indians,  we  slioved  oft  our  boat, 
and  were  soon  fairly  out  of  their  reach  in  the  deep 
water  of  the  swamp.  Even  if  the  Indians  did  see  us 
they  were  unable  to  follow,  as  they  had  no  canoes 
having  left  them  in  Canada  or  at  Lake  Champlain, 
not  expecting  to  need  them  on  this  inland  excursion. 

We  stationed  ourselves  back  in  the  svfamp,  at  a 


226  HISTOBY  OF   SAIJSBUEY. 

considerable  distance  from  the  house,  where  we  could 
observe  their  movements  and  make  sure  the  hour  and 
direction  of  their  departure.  Here  we  saw  Mr. 
Graves's  house  and  our  own  burn  down  at  the  hand 
of  our  cruel  foes.  When  the  houses  were  burnt  so 
nearly  down  that  there  was  no  longer  hope  of  saving 
them,  the  Indians  departed  to  the  north,  and  we  re_ 
traced  our  course,  and  soon  landed  in  safety  all  our 
moveable  treasure.  The  spot  on  which  so  recently 
stood  our  rude  but  comfortable  house  was  now  made 
desolate;  but  our  spirits  were  not  crushed.  If  the 
smoking  ruins  of  our  dwelling  suggested  too  plainly 
the  dangers  of  our  situation  and  disheartened  us,  the 
hope  arose  that,  as  the  Indians  had  made  so  little  in 
this  excursion,  tliey  might  not  visit  this  region  for 
booty  any  more.  So  we  immediately  made  arrange- 
ments for  building  a  new  house,  and  by  cutting  and 
laying  up  small  trees,  such  as  we  could  handle  with- 
out a  team,  it  was  not  long  before  we  had  quite  a 
comfortable  dwelling,  made  of  poles  instead  of  logs, 
on  the  spot  where  the  former  one  had  stood.  This 
was  the  house  Samuel  Pierce  moved  into  when  he 
settled  in  this  town  in  1787." 

As  this  account  is  corroborated  by  other  facts,  no 
doubt  can  be  entertained  of  its  entire  truth. 

Rev.  Dr.  Merrill,  in  his  historical  account  of  Mid- 
dlebury,  gives  an  account  as  follows : 


HISTORY  OF   SALISBURY.  227 

"Major  John  Clnpman,  of  Middleburj,  built  a 
frame  for  a  barn  early  in  the  spring  of  1776,  and  left 
it  without  any  covering."  Now  the  fact  was,  that 
this  party  of  Indians  who  had  burned  Mr.  Graves's 
and  Mrs.  Story's  houses,  after  they  had  pillaged  Mr. 
Smauley  and  burnt  his  house,  "  nndertook  to  burn 
Mr.  Chipman's  barn  frame,  but  the  timber  was  so 
green  and  moist  with  sap,  they  were  unable  to  fire 
it,  so  they  tried  to  cut  it  down  with  their  tomahawks, 
but  the  barn  refused  to  fall,  and  the  consequence  was 
that  the  owner,  when  he  returned  seven  years  after- 
ward, found  it  standing,  exhibiting  the  scars  of  the 
hatchet,  as  it  does  even  to  this  day,  wliich  resulted 
from  the  encounter.  This  was  the  first  frame  barn  in 
Middlebury,  and  is  the  most  northerly  of  three  stand- 
ing on  Mr.  Jonathan  Seeley's  farm,  and  may  exhibit  to 
the  passenger  the  far-famed  date  of  1776,  and  as  a 
remembrancer  of  the  evils  and  calamities  of  war." 

The  fact  that  most  of  the  early  settlers  had  at  this 
time  left  the  country,  some  to  fight  the  battles  of  the 
revolution,  and  others  for  the  better  security  of  their 
persons  and  property,  rendered  the  condition  of  those 
who  remained  on  their  lands  extremely  hazardous, 
particularly  on  account  of  the  hostility  of  the  Indians; 
but  Mrs..  Story  could  not  be  induced  to  leave.  By 
her  persevering  and  indomitable  spirit  she  appeared 
determined  to  overcome  every  obstacle  which  might 

19 


228  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

prevent  her  from  clearing  and  cultivating  her  farm. 
And,  in  order  to  render  herself  and  family  more  se- 
cure from  the  attacks  of  the  enemy,  especially  in  the 
night,  she  hit  upon  the  following  expedient : 

"  We  dug  a  cavern  in  the  bank  of  the  creek,  where 
we  could  retire  for  the  night,  cooking  and  taking  our 
meals  at  the  house,  and  laboring  on  the  farm  in  the 
day  time.  This  cavern  or  cave  we  made  by  digging 
horizontally  into  the  bank  of  the  creek,  concealing 
the  dirt,  we  removed,  under  the  water.  The  passage  at 
the  mouth  of  the  cave  was  sufficient  only  to  admit  our 
canoe,  so  that  all  must  lie  prostrate  in  passing  either  in 
or  out.  This  passage  was  dug  so  low  and  so  deep  that 
the  canoe  could  float  into  the  cave  quite  out  of  sight. 
The  place  where  we  slept  was  higher  ground,  and  was 
an  excavation  by  the  side  of  and  above  the  passage- 
way for  the  canoe,  and  of  sufficient  size  to  accommo- 
date the  whole  family.  We  took  the  precaution  to  cut 
and  stick  down  bushes  at  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  both 
when  we  were  in  and  out  of  it,  so  that  the  place  of 
entrance  would  appear  like  the  rest  of  the  bank,  and 
thus  prevent  discovery.  The  fact  that  the^  banks  of 
Otter  creek  were  sought  at  this  time  by  the  traveler 
and  adventurer  as  a  more  safe  guide  than  marked 
trees  or  uncertain  footpaths,  rendered  this  precaution 
the  more  necessary." 
•    Mrs.  Story  used  to  relate  an  incident  connected 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  229 

with  this  subteiTaneous  retreat,  which  seems  to  be  of 
sorae  importance,  as  it  corroborates  the  truth  of  other 
facts  in  connection  with  this  remarkable  woman.  It 
was  as  follows : 

A  woman  by  the  name  of had  been  made 

captive  by  the  Indians,  but  was  so  far  advanced  in 
pregnancy  that  she  was  unable  to  keep  up  with  her 
captors  on  their  journey,  and  so,  loitering  behind,  was 
at  last  left  to  find  her  way  ba-ck  to  her  friends  the 
best  way  she  could.  This  woman  found  an  asyluni 
at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Story,  and  by  her  was  protected 
and  cared  for  during  her  confinement. 

The  time,  place,  or  circumstances  of  the  birth  of 
the  child  cannot  be  related  at  this  late  day ;  but  it 
is  certain  that  the  child  was  born,  and  gave  Mrs. 
Story's  family  great  anxiety  and  trouble,  on  account 
of  its  crying  when  they  were  in  the  cave,  as  this 
might  lead  to  a  discovery  of  their  nightly  abode.  In 
fact,  their  fears  were  shortly  realized,  under  the  fol- 
lowing circumstances. 

Yery  early  one  morning,  before  the  inmates  of  the 
cave  had  taken  their  departure,  Ezekiel  Jenny,  well 
known  to  Mrs.  Story  as  a  tory,  was  passing  by  on 
foot,  on  the  bank  of  the  creek,  when  his  attention 
was  arrested  by  the  crying  of  a  child.  At  this  unex- 
pected sound  he  stopped  and  listened,  and  finally 
waited  until  Mrs.  Story  pushed  her  canoe,  with  its 


230  HISTORY   OF   SALI8BUET. 

precious  freight,  into  the  creek,  from  its  retreat  hith- 
erto so  obscure  and  safe. 

When  the  party  in  the  canoe  landed  at  their  usual 
place,  sixty  or  seventy  rods  below,  Jenny  interrro- 
gated  Mrs.  Story  concerning  some  of  the  movements 
of  the  whigs,  to  whom  she  gave  evasive  and  dissatis- 
factory answers.  This  exasperated  Jenny,  "  and,"  to 
use  her  own  language,  "  he  threatened  to  shoot  me  upon 
the  spot;  but  to  all  his  threats  I  bid  defiance,  and 
told  him  I  had  no  fears  of  being  shot  by  so  consum- 
mate a  coward  as  he;  and  finally  he  passed  along 
down  the  creek,  and  I  lost  no  time  in  notifying  Foot 
and  Bentley  that  tories  were  within  our  borders ;  and 
immediately  all  the  wliigs  who  could  be  raised  were 
set  upon  their  track,  and  overtook  them  the  same  day 
in  Monkton,  and  that  night  captured  every  one  of 
them,  to  the  number  of  about  twenty,  and  delivered 
them  up  to  our  authorities  at  Ticonderoga." 

It  is  not  probable  that  Mrs.  Story  followed  these 
tories  in  person,  but  only  notified  others  of  their 
presence,  and  helped  spread  the  alarm. 

The  account  given  by  Dr.  Merrill  in  his  historical 
notice  of  Middlcbury,  of  the  pursuit  of  a  band  of 
tories  about  this  time,  corresponds  so  nearly  with  the 
foregoing  account,  that  no  doubt  can  be  entertained 
of  its  truth,  and  that  both  naiTations  are  an  account 
of  the  same  facts. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURT.  231 

As  Dr.  Merrill  received  his  information  directly 
from  tlie  lips  of  certain  ones  who  were  actors  in  this 
affair,  and  since  it  adds  another  item  of  proof  of  the 
character  of  the  people  of  whom  we  write,  and  of  the 
age  and  circumstances  in  which  they  lived,  it  is 
thought  proper  to  copy  Dr.  Merrill's  short  account  of 
the  matter,  which  is  in  the  following  words  : 

"It  was  ascertained  that  several  individuals  had 
passed  through  this  neighborhood  toward  Canada, 
under  circumstances  that  led  to  the  conclusion  that 
they  were  tories,  and  proceeding  to  join  the  enemy. 
Daniel  Foot,  Samuel  Bently,  and  other  enterprising 
individuals,  concluded,  if  possible,  to  make  a  capture 
of  them.  They  accordingly  hurried  on  to  the  north, 
their  number  increasing  as  they  advanced,  till  it 
amounted  to  about  a  dozen.  By  their  scouts  they 
found  the  enemy  were  encamping  for  the  night  in  a 
forest  in  Monkton.  Waiting  till  they  were  all  sound 
asleep,  they  burst  upon  them  suddenly  from  every 
quarter,  ^shouting  and  making  pretensions  of  great 
numbers,  and  took  every  one  of  them,  fourteen  in 
number.  They  marched  them  back  to  Daniel  Foot's 
the  next  day.  After  spending  the  night  they  hastened 
them  over,  and  gave  them  up  to  our  garrison  at  Ticon- 
deroga." 

There  have  been  a  great  many  idle  and  fanciful 
rumors  circulated  in  regard  to  Mrs.  Story's  cave.     It 

19* 


232  HISTORY   OF   SALISBUKT. 

was  not  used  after  its  discovery  by  Jenny,  and 
before  that  for  no  very  great  length  of  time.  In  fact, 
it  was  designed  only  for  a  temporary  retreat,  for  the 
better  security  of  its  occupants,  while  they  secured 
their  crops,  and  probably  was  in  existence  only  one 
year,  for  there  was  nothing  to  support  its  top  except 
the  roots  of  trees  standing  •  about  it,  and  without 
much  doubt  the  whole  fell  in  at  the  next  overflow  of 
the  creek  after  it  was  made. 

The  place  where  the  excavation  was  made,  has 
never  been  disturbed  by  the  plow,  and  no  freshet  has 
here  materially  changed  the  bank  of  the  creek,  so  that 
the  remains  of  the  cave  are  yet  visible,  and  quite 
clearly  show  every  important  feature  as  described  by 
Mrs.  Story. 

It  should  be  added  that  great  sagacity  and  judg- 
ment were  exercised,  not  only  in  making  this  cave, 
and  using  it  when  once  made,  but  also  in  the  selec- 
tion of  the  location  of  it,  for  it  was  located  on  the 
west  side  of  the  creek,  where  there  was  little  or  no 
travel,  and  where  (since  the  log  house  in  which  most 
of  their  work  was  done,  was  on  the  east  side)  no  trail 
would  be  made  by  their  frequent  entrance.  It  was 
also  located  at  a  bend  in  the  creek,  where  those  who 
navigated  its  waters  would  invariably  near  the  oppo- 
site shore  to  save  distance,  and  as  the  shore  at  this 
place  is  bold,  nearly  to  a  perpindicular,  the  dirt  taken 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  233 

out  in  the  excavation,  settled  down  beneath  the  water 
entirely  out  of  sight. 

f  In  the  latter  part  of  December,  1YT6,  or  early  in 
1Y77,  Mrs.  Story  aiid  her  family  returned  to  Rutland 
and  lived  on  the  place  now  called  the  Simeon  Chafy 
farm,  in  the  north  part  of  the  town,  near  the  line  of 
Pittsford.  Here  she  spent  most  of  her  winters,  while 
nearly  every  summer  season  during  the  war  found 
her  at  work  on  her  farm  in  Salisbury. 

In  1792,  her  sons  having  arrived  at  the  age  of  man- 
hood, and  lier  daughters  being  both  settled  in  mar- 
riage, she  was  married  to  Benjamin  Smauley,  his  wife 
having  died  a  short  time  previous.  They  settled  on 
the  farm  where  Paul  Pratt  now  lives,  and  there  re- 
mained until  about  1805,  when  Mr.  Smauley,  from 
advanced  age  and  infirmity,  found  it  necessary  to  give 
up  business  and  spend  the  remainder  of  his  days  with 
his  son  Imri,  on  the  farm  on  which  he  first  settled,  in 
the  southerly  part  of  Middlebury. 

He  died  in  1808,  and  although  he  had  been  one  of 
the  most  extensive  landowners  and  grantees  in  several 
townships  in  Addison  county,  his  estate  was  found  to 
be  insolvent,  and  his  widow,  who  had  borne  so  great 
and  noble  a  part  in  bringing  improvements  and  civil- 
ization into  the  wilderness  here,  was  thrown  upon  the 
town  as  one  of  its  paupers.  She  afterward  sustained 
herself  several  years  without  being  any  charge  to  the 


234  HISTORY   OF   BA-LTSBURT. 

town,  and  finally,  in  the  year  1812,  was  married  to 
Captain  Stephen  Goodrich,  one  of  the  first  settlers  in 
Middlebury,  and  lived  comfortably  and  happily  with 
him,  on  a  farm  in  the  northern  part  of  this  town,  near 
Amos  Goodrich's,  until  her  decease,  which  occurred 
April  5th,  1817.  She  was  seventy-five  years  of  age, 
and  was  buried  in  the  graveyard  of  District  !N'o.  1,  in 
Middlebury. 

After  the  commencement  of  the  revolutionary  war, 
Joshua  Graves  moved  back  as  far  as  Rutland,  but  re- 
mained there  but  a  short  time  before  he  and  his  boys 
returned  to  their  farm  in  Salisbury  again  (this  was  in 
the  summer  of  1Y76),  and  built  another  house  in  the 
•place  of  the  one  destroyed  by  the  Indians,  harvested 
their  wheat  which  had  been  sown  the  year  before, 
prepared  their  land  and  sowed  another  crop,  and  in 
September,  returned  again  to  their  family  in  Rut- 
land. 

Mr.  Graves,  not  regarding  this  hazardous  experi- 
ment of  settling  a  new  country  in  time  of  war,  moved 
his  family  again  to  liis  farm,  early  in  the  spring  of 
1777,  with  the  intention  of  making  a  permant  settle- 
ment. He  planted  corn  on  the  interval  land  near  Ot- 
er  creek,  and  while  hoeing  it  one  day,  sometime  in 
the  month  of  June  of  that  year  (we  have  the  story 
from  the  mouth  of  Jesse  Graves),  he  and  his  boys 
suddenly  discovered  a  large  party  of  Indians  coming 


HISTOET    OF    BALISBrEY.  235 

upon  them  from  the  north.  It  would  have  been  an 
easy  matter  to  conceal  themselves,  if  they  had  had 
a  minute's  notice  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  but 
being  occupied  in  their  work,  and  their  sight  being 
intercepted  by  the  woods  on  the  north,  before  they 
were  aware  of  it,  the  Indians  were  close  upon  them, 
some  approaching  by  land,  but  the  greater  number  by 
bark  canoes  in  the  creek.  There  was  a  boy  at  work 
with  them,  about  fourteen  years  old,  who  started  to 
run,  but  Mr.  Graves  ordered  him  to  stop,  as  the  sav- 
ages would  be  more  apt  to  shoot  him  while  endeavor- 
ing to  make  his  escape. 

The  Indians  soon  came  up  and  ordered  them  all, 
Joshua  Graves,  Jesse  Graves  and  the  boy,  to  give  up 
their  work  and  go  along  with  them.  So  they  all  went 
on  together  up  the  creek,  and  stopped  over  night  on 
the  farm  now  called  the  Kelsey  place.  Here  the  In- 
dians found  a  pair  of  oxen,  and  butchered  one  of 
them  to  provide  their  evening  and  morning  meal. 
From  this  place  they  passed  up  the  creek  and  made  a 
halt  at  the  house  of  Jeremiah  Parker,  who  then  lived 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Ebenezer  Jenny.  On 
looking  over  Mr.  Parker's  house,  the  Indians  found  a 
quantity  of  maple  sugar,  about  two  himdred  pounds, 
which  they  took  oat  of  doors,  aud,  having  assembled 
around  it,  held  what  they  called  a  pow-wow. 

The  party  being  large,  numbering  about  two  hun- 


236  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

dred  and  fifty,  the  sugar  was  nearly  exhausted  in  eat- 
ing and  wasting,  before  the  journey  was  resumed. 
Nothing  was  taken  from  Mr.  Parker  except  the  sugar, 
and  his  house  was  left  without  having  suffered  any 
damage.  There  was,  however,  another  lot  of  sugar, 
of  about  the  same  quantity  with  that  destroyed,  in 
the  house,  but  which  was  passed  by  undiscovered. 

Having  regaled  themselves  at  Mr.  Parker's  expense* 
the  Indians  made  a  captive  of  him,  and  all  set  out  for 
the  south,  no  one  of  the  captives  knowing  for  what 
they  were  taken,  or  where  they  were  going.  They 
soon  arrived  at  Neshobe,  (Brandon),  where  they  were 
placed  under  the  care  of  an  Indian  guard,  and  eon- 
ducted  to  Lake  Champlain,  near  Ticonderoga,  where 
they,  together  with  a  part  of  the  guard,  were  placed 
on  board  a  British  vessel  and  taken  to  Montreal. 

Here  the  Indians  demanded  of  the  chief  officer  of 
the  British  forces  at  that  place,  the  bounty  for  "  rebel 
heads ;"  but  the  officers,  after  examining  the  case, 
found  that  these  men  had  been  taken  by  the  Indians 
while  in  the  quiet  and  peaceable  prosecution  of  their 
labors  as  farmers,  and  decided  that  the  prisoners 
ought  to  be  allowed  to  return  to  their  homes.  This 
decision  caused  a  good  deal  of  murmuring  on  the 
part  of  the  Indians,  who  thought  they  ought  at  least 
to  be  permitted  to  take  the  scalps  of  their  captives  as 
a  reward  for  their  trouble. 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  237 

The  prisoners,  being  released,  were  allowed  to  find 
their  way  back  to  their  families  the  best  w^ay  they 
could,  which  they  did  after  a  long  and  tedious  jour- 
ney, having  been  absent  about  three  weeks. 

These  Indians  treated  their  prisoners  well  while 
they  had  charge  of  thera,  imposing  no  burdensome 
tasks  upon  them,  and  allowing  them  the  same  rations 
with  themselves,  wdiich  consisted  of  one  tablespoonful, 
daily,  of  pounded  parched  corn. 

This  was  all  the  food  the  prisoners  or  the  Indians 
had,  with  the  exception  of  what  they  so  unceremoni- 
ously took  just  as  they  started,  until  they  were  placed 
on  board  the  vessel,  when  the  officers  in  the  British 
command  gave  them  a  more  generous  diet. 

So  far  as  these  men  traveled  with  this  party  of 
Indians,  they  could  discover  no  indication  that  this 
excursion  was  made  for  the  sake  of  booty  or  mischief; 
the  Indians  burnt  no  houses,  nor  did  they  maliciously 
destroy  any  property  nor  steal  or  pillage  anything, 
except  what  they  wanted  to  eat. 

After  learning  the  character  and  disposition  of  the 
red  men  of  Yermont,  the  Messrs.  Graves  concluded 
that  settling  a  new  country  in  time  of  war,  was  too 
hazardous  an  undertaking  for  them,  and  determined, 
as  soon  as  practicable,  to  leave  the  country  until  the 
war  was  over. 

They  returned  to  Kutland  early  in  September  of 


238  HISTORY   OF   6ALI8BUEY. 

that  year,  having  first  made  a  cache  in  the  ground, 
in  which  thej  deposited  their  pewter  ware,  which 
consisted  of  platters,  plates,  basins,  spoons,  and  a 
variety  of  other  domestic  utensils,  of  which  they  had 
a  good  supply,  and  also  a  few  farming  tools. 

But  on  their  return,  in  1783,  after  the  war,  the 
place  of  their  improvements  had  become  so  changed, 
it  being  overgrown  with  brush  and  briers,  that  they 
were  unable  to  find  any  of  their  things  thus  deposited, 
nor  could  any  of  the  family  determine  exactly  where 
the  cache  was  made.  It  is  not  improbable  that  it  was 
discovered  and  robbed,  and  the  place  afterwards 
gradually  filled  up,  and  overgrown  with  brushwood. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  239 


CHAPTEK  XYIIL 

Progress  after  the  Peace. — Grist  Mill. — First 
Birth. — First  Death. — Burying  Ground. — Scar- 
city OF  Food. — Early  Roads. — Military  Salute. 
—  Painter.  —  First  Representative.  —  Gilbert 
Everts. 

With  the  exception  of  the  families  of  Messrs. 
Graves  and  Story,  it  is  believed  that  no  one  under- 
took to  make  any  permanent  settlement  in  Salisbury 
until  after  the  close  of  the  war. 

Joshua  Graves  had  a  very  numerous  family,  con- 
sisting of  nine  children,  some  of  whom  were  married, 
and  formed  quite  a  colony  by  themselves.  The 
names  of  these  children  were  Simeon,  Asa,  Jesse, 
Chauncey,  Millissent,  Philla,  Mamra,  Sarah,  and 
Barney.  All  of  these  were  here  as  early  as  1783  or 
1784:.  After  this  time  the  town  began  to  have  some 
prospect  of  a  permanent  settlement,  and  the  people  in 
Connecticut,  who  had  previously  had  an  interest 
here,  began  to  feel  encouraged. 

About  this  time  also  came  Col.  Thomas  Sawyer, 

20 


240  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

and  as  before  noticed,  started  a  grist  mill  near  Salis- 
bury village,  a  tbing  of  no  little  importance  at  tbis 
early  day.  Tbis  mill  was  tbe  only  one  of  tbe  kind, 
tbe  only  mill  at  vvbicb  grain  could  be  ground,  in  a 
very  extensive  region  of  country  about  it ;  and  as  tbere 
were  no  roads  leading  to  it  for  quite  a  long  time,  the 
people  were  compelled  to  carry  their  grain  to  it  on 
their  shoulders,  except  when  the  waters  of  Otter  creek 
and  Leicester  river  could  be  made  available  for  that 
purpose. 

This  mill  was  patronized  by  many  quite  distant 
towns.  Bridport,  Addison,  Weybridge  and  other 
towns  equally  as  distant  in  other  directions,  came 
here  to  get  their  grain  ground.  The  people  in  the 
western  towns  brought  their  grain  to  the  bank  of  the 
creek,  and  then  placed  it  in  boats,  which  afforded 
quite  an  easy  means  of  conveyance,  through  the  wa- 
ters of  the  creek  and  Leicester  river,  to  within  about 
eighty  rods  of  the  mill.  From  this  point  they  were 
compelled  to  carry  their  grists  to  and  from  the  mill, 
on  their  backs. 

In  1784:,  Daniel  Foot  erected  a  grist-mill  in  Mid- 
dlebnry,  which  went  into  operation  in  the  latter  part 
of  November  or  first  of  December  of  the  following 
year.  After  this  time,  Sawyer's  mill  lost  the  patron- 
age of  Middlebury  and  its  adjacent  towns. 

The  first  child  born  in  Salisbury  was  Joshua  Graves. 


•  '«*'— Niwi«^>i*ini''iniii'nn»'' 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  241 

This  was  the  second  child  of  Chauncey  Graves,  he  hav- 
ing had  one  child,  Lucy,  a  little  more  than  a  year  old, 
when  he  moved  into  town.  This  boy  was  born  July 
9th,  1785,  when  his  father  lived  on  the  sand  knoll,  a 
little  northerly  of  the  place  now  occupied  by  William 
Thomas.  This  place  is  marked  by  a  few  apple  trees 
which  Chauncey  Graves  set  out  at  the  very  commence- 
ment of  his  settlement.  Mr.  Graves  made  a  very 
pleasant  place  for  his  home  on  this  hill,  and  sur- 
rounded it  with  such  conveniences  as  were  attain- 
able in  those  days.  Among  other  things  he  had  a 
very  excellent  well,  which  is  now  filled  up,  on  ac- 
count of  its  being  no  longer  needed  in  that  locality. 

Joshua  Graves,  the  son,  was  a  grandson  of  Joshua 
Graves,  the  first  settler  in  town.  He  married  Phoebe 
Beach,  who  was  the  late  wife  of  the  late  Eichard 
Whitney. 

In  addition  to  the  names  of  those  who  were  settlers 
in  1783,  already  noticed,  mention  might  be  made  of 
Samuel  Kendall  and  William  Kendall,  and  among 
those  who  came  in  1784,  were  Elisha  White,  Widow 
Holdman  and  family,  Eleazer  Claghorn,  Abe  Watrous, 
Josiah  Farnham,  William  Pratt,  Joel  Newton  and 
Widow  Flagg  and  family. 

The  first  death  which  occurred  in  town,  except  that 
of  Amos  Story  already  noticed,  was  that  of  Mrs.  Joel 
Newton,  who  died  May  2d,  1785. 


242  HISTORY    OF    SALISBUKT. 

It  must  be  remarked,  however,  that  Samuel  Smith, 
who  owned  and  lived  on  the  farm  near  the  creek, 
now  known  as  the  Deacon  Kelsey  farm,  died  of  fever, 
April  18th,  1776.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  his  farm 
was  claimed  as  lying  within  the  limits  of  Leicester, 
but  by  the  terms  of  the  compromise  of  1796,  it  fell  to 
Salisbury.  As  the  land  composing  his  farm  was  ac- 
tually embraced  within  the  claims  of  both  towns,  and 
as  it  finally  was  decided  to  belong  to  Salisbury,  perhaps 
Mr.  Smith's  death  may  be  considered  the  first  which 
took  place  in  town. 

Mr.  Smith  was  quite  a  remarkable  man,  and  was 
well  suited  for  the  time  and  place  in  which  he  lived. 
He  was  well  known  for  his  great  physical  strength, 
and  was  said  by  his  neighbors  to  possess  the  strength 
and  endurance  of  at  least  three  ordinary  men.  As 
an  illustration  of  his  muscular  power,  it  is  told  of  him, 
that  he  once  carried  two  bushels  of  salt  on  his  shoul- 
ders, from  Ticonderoga  to  his  farm  here  on  the  creek, 
his  journey  being  necessarily  nearly  if  not  all  the 
way  through  the  woods. 

He  died  at  the  age  of  about  forty  years,  and  was 
buried  by  the  side  of  the  road,  on  the  farm  on  which 
he  had  lived. 

In  178Y,  occurred  the  death  of  another  person ;  it 
was  that  of  Ruth  Latimore,  aged  about  nineteen 
years.     She  was  buried  by  the  side  of  the  road,  a 


HISTOKY    OF   SALISBURY.  243 

little  north  of  Lojal  Kelsey's  dwelling  house.  In 
1790,  Sam  Atis,  a  negro  who  had  long  been  an  in- 
mate of  Holland  Weeks'  family,  died,  and  was  buried 
on  Mr.  "Weeks'  farm.  Two  elm  trees  sprang  up  over 
his  grave,  one  at  his  head  and  the  other  at  his  feet, 
-which  have  since  grown  to  a  great  size,  and  form  a 
more  permanent  monument  than  was  given  to  most 
of  the  white  people  who  died  about  that  time. 

As  early  as  1790,  the  subject  of  a  proper  and  con- 
venient burial  place,  was  agitated  in  a  town  meeting. 
At  this  time  committees  were  appointed  to  make  ar- 
rangements for  a  purchase  of  lands  for  this  purpose, 
but  for  some  reason  or  other,  the  purchase  was  ne- 
glected, and  the  few  burials  which  took  place  for 
several  subsequent  years,  were  made  on  private 
grounds. 

About  thirty  persons  were  buried  on  Oscar  P. 
Sheldon's  farm,  and  a  few  on  home  lot  'No.  1,  near 
Mr.  Arnold's.  Quite  a  number  w^ere  buried  on  the 
farm  of  the  late  Solomon  Thomas,  a  little  south  of 
Isaac  Shays'  house. 

In  1805,  John  Deming  deeded  the  town  a  lot  of 
land  in  the  village,  containing  one  fourth  of  an  acre, 
for  a  burial  place.  This  was  a  donation  from  Mr. 
Deming. . 

Eleazer  Claghorn  allowed  any  of  his  neighbors  to 
bury  their  dead  on  his  farm,  in  a  little  yard  fenced 

20* 


244  .  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

off  for  that  purpose,  as  long  as  he  owned  it.  In 
1807,  Mr.  Claghorn  sold  his  farm  to  John  Morton, 
and  at  this  time  it  was  found  that  the  yard  was 
nearly  filled,  and  must  soon  be  enlarged ;  and  as  its 
fences  had  gone  to  decay,  at  least  so  far  as  to  need  a 
good  deal  of  repairing,  Mr.  Morton  allowed  the  peo- 
ple, without  any  charge,  to  build  their  new  fence,  so 
as  to  embrace  quite  an  additional  amount  of  land. 

Since  that  time  the  farm  has  changed  owners  sev- 
eral times,  but  it  is  believed  no  legal  title  to  the 
burial  place  has  been  given  or  taken  by  any  one, 
unless  it  may  be  through  the  quieting  act,  which  has 
a  peculiar  appropriateness  in  its  protection  of  the 
dead.  At  any  rate,  the  author  is  not  aware  that  any 
one's  right  to  lie  here,  in  peace  and  quietness,  has 
ever  been  questioned,  and  in  but  one  instance  has  the 
grave  yard,  for  any  cause,  been  disturbed. 

In  the  summer  of  1805  or  1806,  it  was  discovered 
that  the  body  of  a  woman,  which  had  been  buried 
here  a  year  or  two  before,  was  missing.  Suspicion 
rested  upon  several  individuals  living  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, who  were  thereupon  arrested,  a  court  ot  en- 
quiry held,  and  several  witnesses  examined ;  but  the 
testimony  given  did  not  warrant  the  court  in  sending 
these  individuals  up  for  trial,  and  they  were  dis- 
charged. 

While  this  examination  was  going  on,  some  one 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBUEY.  ^^  24r5 

brought  the  bones  of  the  deceased  woman,  in  a  bas- 
ket, and  laid  them  by  the  side  of  her  grave,  which  • 
soon  became  known,  and  created  a  great  excitement. 
After  a  careful  examination,  the  identification  of  the 
teeth,  made  it  certain  that  these  were  the  bones  of  the 
lost  body,  and  they  were  all  deposited  again  in  the 
place  where  they  had  before  reposed.  The  name  of 
the  person  exhumed,  was  Huldah  Castle. 

We  might  notice  another  incident  that  took  place 
in  this  grave-yard  in  the  year  1826.  It  is  interesting 
for  its  novelty.  It  was  this.  Jonathan  Titus  was  en- 
gaged to  be  married  to  Elizabeth  Kelsey,  daughter  of 
Gamaliel  Kelsey.  The  day  of  the  wedding  had  been 
fixed  upon,  but  its  interesting  ceremonies  were  inter- 
rupted and  indefinitely  postponed,  on  account  of  the 
death  of  a  younger  brother  of  the  future  bride.  Af- 
ter the  solemnities  of  the  burial  of  the  deceased,  at 
which  the  Eev.  Mr.  Prindle,  of  the  Methodist  clergy, 
ofiiciated,  it  was  suggested  by  Mr.  Kelsey,  the  father 
of  both  the  deceased  and  of  the  bride,  that  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  Titus  and  his  daughter  be  there  celebra- 
ted ;  whereupon  the  minister,  after  some  prefatory 
remarks  calculated  to  remove  objections,  took  his 
place  at  the  head  of  the  new-made  grave,  while  the 
bride  and  groom  stood  at  the  other  extremity,  and 
performed  the  marriage  ceremony  in  the  presence  of 


246  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

a  congregation  little  anticipating  a  wedding  among 
the  tombs. 

This  wedding  was  the  cause  of  much  gossip  at  the 
time,  though  we  are  not  aware  that  any  one  who  was 
present  on  this  occasion  ever  characterized  it  as  highly 
improper. 

In  1785  and  1786,  the  town  and  surrounding  coun- 
try was  filled  so  rapidly  by  immigration,  that  in  the 
spring  of  1787  a  great  scarcity  of  breadstuffs  was  ex- 
perienced. Many  families  sufiered  for  want  of  proper 
food,  and  endured  many  hardships  in  endeavoring  to 
obtain  it.  It  is  true  there  was  no  danger  of  absolute 
starvation,  in  a  country  abounding  in  wild  animals, 
and  in  which  the  lakes  and  streams  were  filled  with 
fish  ;  but  people  may  sufi*er  from  hunger,  in  a  state 
far  short  of  starvation — and  especially  from  a  want  of 
that  kind  of  food  to  which  they  have  been  long  ac- 
customed. All  men  need  bread,  or  something  con- 
taining similar  nutriment.  It  is  a  universal  food,  and 
we  cannot  well  estimate  its  loss  until  we  have  once 
been  deprived  of  it. 

Again,  in  the  winter  and  spring  of  1790,  provisions 
became  extremely  scarce,  especially  all  kinds  of  grain. 
Many  families  were  compelled  to  put  themselves  upon 
allowances,  some  more,  and  some  less  liberal. 

Many  had  no  other  bread  than  that  made  of  bran, 
unless  they  might  have  received  an  occasional  gift  of 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  247 

something  better  from  their  more  fortunate  neighbors ; 
and  some  families,  for  many  weeks  in  succession,  sub- 
sisted entirely  on  milk,  fish,  and  spontaneous  vegeta- 
bles. 

The  great  scarcity  at  this  time  was  also,  for  the 
most  part  attributed  to  the  too  rapid  filling  up  of  the 
country.  The  comparatively  few  who  had  made  clear- 
ings and  brought  their  land  into  a  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, were  unable  to  raise  provisions  sufficient  to  sus- 
tain themselves  and  all  those  who  were  so  constantly 
seeking  to  settle  here,  from  the  older  states. 

And  what  made  the  matter  much  worse,  was  the 
fact  that  the  country  was  destitute  of  roads,  and  of 
the  means  of  transporting  provisions  from  abroad. 
Many  of  the  early  settlers  brought  wheat  upon  their 
backs  to  their  families  a  distance  of  more  than  forty 
miles,  with  no  guide  through  the  long  and  tedious 
wilderness,  except  marked  trees,  and  streams  of  water. 

At  one  other  period,  much  later  than  those  above 
mentioned,  this  vicinity  has  suffered  from  a  great  scar- 
city of  provisions,  approximating  toward  a  famine.  It 
was  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  the  year  181T.  This 
scarcity  arose  from  the  character  of  the  summer  sea- 
son of  1816,  Avhich  was  very  cold  and  dry.  Flakes 
of  snow  were  occasionally  seen  falling,  during  all  the 
month  of  June,  and  not  a  month  of  the  whole  year 
passed,  without  a  frost  more  or  less  severe.     Very  few 


'■'*■■'■■'-- '^'       '"'     riwiiji'^ii 


248  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

of  the  farmers  succeeded  in  ripening  any  corn,  and 
the  crop  of  all  kinds  of  grain,  if  any  was  obtained  at 
all,  was  extremely  light.  Pork  was  not  properly  fat- 
tened, for  the  want  of  food,  and  of  potatoes  there  was 
almost  no  crop  at  all. 

In  the  spring  of  1817,  wheat  was  sold  as  high  as 
four  dollars  per  bushel  and  rye  at  one  dollar  and  a 
half  less,  while  corn  was  not  to  be  had  at  any  price. 
Many  families  sent  teams  to  Troy,  New  York,  to  pur- 
chase provisions,  principally  rye,  while  the  poor,  un- 
able to  buy  at  such  extravagant  prices,  suffered  much 
for  the  want  of  good  nutritious  food,  for  at  this  time, 
w^ith  the  increase  of  inhabitants,  the  abundance  of 
game  aud  fish  to  which  the  early  settlers  could  resort, 
had  very  much  diminished. 

Of  public  roads  in  Salisbury,  and  the  changes  made 
in  their  location  from  time  to  time,  it  is  not  deemed 
a  matter  of  sufficient  interest  to  say  much.  It  was  a 
long  time  after  the  beginning  of  the  settlement  of  the 
town,  before  its  roads  were  very  passable. 

As  early  as  the  year  1775,  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  grantees  to  lay  out  roads,  but  it  is  im- 
probable that  any  road  was  cut  through  the  town, 
even  if  it  had  been  laid  out,  before  1786,  and  after 
that  time  roads  were  not  passable  for  teams  of  bur- 
den, except  in  the  winter,  for  several  years. 

Holland  Weeks  made  use  of  the  creek,  from  Pitts- 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  249 

ford  to  Salisbury,  to  move  his  farming  implements, 
when  he  moved  here  in  1Y88. 

That  there  was  a  road  cut  through  this  town,  from 
Middlebury  to  Eutland,  at  quite  an  early  date,  and 
one  which  could  be  traveled  on  horseback,  is  evident 
from  the  following  anecdote  which  Judge  Painter 
used  to  relate. 

When  the  legislature  of  this  state  was  about  to  hold 
its  annual  session  in  Rutland,  in  the  year  1786,  Gov- 
ernor Chittenden,  who  at  that  time  lived  in  Williston, 
and  some  others  who  were  members  of  the  legislature, 
and  who  liv^ed  in  that  vicinity,  started  for  the  scene 
of  legislation,  and  as  they  approached  Salisbury, 
their  number  having  been  constantly  increased  on  the 
way  their  party  amounted  to  about  thirty. 

Mr.  Painter  was  one  of  the  number,  and  a  member 
from  Middlebury.  All  w^ere  on  horseback,  and  ar- 
rived in  a  body  at  Colonel  Sawyer's,  in  Salisbury, 
who  at  that  time  kept  a  public-house  on  the  spot  npw 
occupied  by  the  store  of  W.  Rustin  and  Co. 

Now  Col.  Sawyer  had  in  his  possession  a  swivel,  or 
small  cannon,  which  had  been  used  in  the  revolution- 
ary war ;  and  it  occurred  to  his  boys  and  hired  men, 
that  it  would  be  an  honorable  act  in  them  to  welcome 
their  excellent  governor  with  a  hearty  salute  from 
this  gun ;   so  they  had  previously  loaded  it  with  a 


250  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

heavy  charge  of  powder  and  wadding,  and  patiently 
waited  the  arrival  of  his  excellency  and  company. 

The  boys  stationed  themselves  at  a  short  distance 
from  the  house,  at  a  point'  not  likely  to  be  observed 
by  the  governor  or  any  of  his  company,  and  who,  not 
anticipating  a  military  salute  at  this  time,  were  off 
their  guard,  and  unprepared  for  the  sudden  shock 
which  the  firing  of  a  heavy  gun  might  produce.  It 
probably  did  not  occur  to  the  boys,  that  firing  a  salute 
without  giving  notice,  might  create  confusion  and 
mischief  among  the  horses,  as  well  as  their  riders,  and 
the  consequence  was,  that  one  of  the  most  ludicrous 
Bcenes  occurred  that  had  been  witnessed  for  a  long 
time. 

The  cannon  was  fired  at  the  precise  time  the  com- 
pany were  dismounting.  A  few  were  yet  seated  on 
their  horses,  some  were  just  throAving  themselves  out 
of  their  saddles,  others  were  letting  themselves  down, 
resting  midway,  on  one  stirrup,  while  others,  still,  had 
gained  the  ground,  with  one  foot,  the  other  yet  re- 
maining in  the  stirrup,  when,  whang!  went  the 
swivel,  the  sudden  and  astounding  noise  of  which  so 
startled  the  horses  that  a  large  majority  of  the  com- 
pany were  suddenly  prostrated  on  the  ground.  The 
governor  happened  to  be  of  that  unfortunate  number 
who,  at  the  time  of  the  salute,  having  one  foot  in  the 
stirrup,  was  just  reaching  the  ground  with  the  other 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  261 

— and  none  assumed  the  awkward  horizontal  position 
more  suddenly  or  ungracefully  than  he. 

But  the  weather  was  fine  and  the  ground  dry,  and 
as  no  one  was  mudded  or  hurt,  the  whole  passed  off 
with  a  "  hearty  good  laugh,"  that  the  legislature  of 
Vermont,  executive  and  all,  had  been  taken  down 
so  soon  after  its  beginning,  and  so  suddenly,  by  a 
single  gun. 

After  having  participated  bountifully  in  the  re- 
freshments furnished  by  their  host,  all  pushed  for- 
ward, with  good  cheer,  toward  the  place  of  legisla- 
tion. 

From  the  time  of  the  close  of  the  war,  to  about 
1789,  the  population  of  the  town  increased  very 
rapidly ;  many  came  in  from  the  old  States,  and 
quite  a  number  was  added  by  the  re-survey  of  Mid- 
dlebury,  in  1786  ;  for  by  that  survey  our  territory 
was  enlarged,  and  people  originally  in  Middle- 
bury  became  inhabitants  of  Salisbury,  Gamaliel 
Painter  w^as  among  that  number,  and  thus  in  fact 
was  made  the  first  settler  within  the  present  limits 
of  Salisbury. 

Mr.  Painter  pitched  on  the  farm  where  William 
F.  Goodrich  now  lives,  and  began  to  clear  the  land 
in  1773,  .one  year  before  Mr.  Graves  or  Mr.  Story 
came  into  this  town. 

Benjamin  Smauley,  even    previous  to  this,  had 

21 


252  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

thought  of  taking  the  farm  on  which  Mr.  Painter 
pitched,  and  had  cut  some  brush,  to  show  a  begin- 
ning, near  the  river,  southeast  of  Mr.  Goodrich's 
present  dwelling ;  but  not  having  made  a  survey  of 
it,  at  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Fainter,  he  concluded  to 
pitch  west  of  John  Chipman's,  and  did  so,  in  1773, 
making  the  creek  his  west  line.  Here  he  built  a 
house  and  made  other  preparation  for  a  future  home. 

As  Mr.  Painter's  house  and  the  greater  part  of  his 
farm  were  brought  into  the  present  limits  of  Salis- 
bury by  the  re-survey,  the  people  of  this  town  claim- 
ed him  as  one  of  their  inhabitants,  and  sent  him  as 
delegate  to  the  State  Legislature  in  1787.  This  office 
he  filled  with  his  usual  promptness  and  ability,  to  the 
general  satisfaction  and  honor  of  the  people. 

But  he  never  intended  to  live  in  Salisbury,  and  was 
not  one  of  its  original  grantees,  but  was  of  Middle- 
bury,  in  which  he  often  expressed  the  wish  to  spend 
his  days. 

In  fact,  only  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of 
Salisbury,  is  known  to  have  settled  in  it,  and  that 
was  Gilbert  Everts,  though  Benjamin  Smauley  was 
afterward  brought  within  its  boundaries  by  accident. 

Mr.  Everts,  perhaps  wisely,  conceived  the  idea  that 
it  was  better  to  pay  the  Governor  of  New  Hampshire 
a  yearly  rent  for  his  land,  than  to  own  it  in  fee 
simple. 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  253 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


THE     LAYMAN  S    CHURCH. 


Although  the  organization  of  a  religious  society  in 
Salisbury,  was  antecedent  to  that  of  the  church,  it 
was  deemed  best  to  bring  the  account  of  it  into  this 
late  chapter. 

The  men  who  made  the  beginning  in  establishing 
religious  worship  among  us,  were  Eleazer  Claghorn, 
Solomon  Story,  and  Holland  Weeks. 

Mr.  Claghorn  had  been  here  some  time  before  the 
other  two  moved  in,  and  had  sometimes  held  reli- 
gious meetings  in  his  house ;  but  not  at  stated  times, 
nor  in  the  manner  of  any  particular  society. 

Mr.  Story,  having  been  born  and  raised  in  a  land 
of  good  habits  and  principles,  was  possessed  of  much 
practical  piety,  and  was' anxious  to  see  those  about 
him  instructed  in  the  ways  of  righteousness. 

Mr.  Weeks  was  early  imbued  with  religious  prin- 
ciples, and  had  for  a  long  time,  in  his  native  state, 
been  a  member  of  the  Puritan  or  Congregational 
church. 

And  all  three  were  ready  and  anxious  to  establish 


%64t  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

religious  meetings  among  the  settlers;  and  it  was 
their  desire  to  establish  these  meetings  permanently, 
and  to  form  an  organized  society  which  should  have 
its  regular  time  and  place  of  assemblage. 

A  small  log  house,  used  at  that  time  as  a  school- 
house,  and  standing  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  the 
stone  school-house,  was  choseii  as  the  place  of  worship 
of  this  incipient  church. 

The  worship  was  so  simple  and  barren  of  form,  that 
there  was  no  difficulty  in  finding  persons  enough  to 
carry  on  its  few  ceremonies.  Mr.  Weeks  had  ten 
children,  several  of  whom  were  quite  good  singers, 
and  able  to  perforin  any  of  the  parts  required  to  be 
Bung  during  the  exercises. 

Many  circumstances  combined  to  favor  the  new  so- 
ciety, and  it  was  not  long  before  its  meetings  were 
carried  on  in  the  utmost  good  order  and  regularity,  and 
most  of  the  settlers  who  lived  within  a  reasonable  dis- 
tance soon  became  interested,  and  were  found  in  reg- 
ular attendance  at  the  return  of  every  Sunday. 

The  good  influences  of  these  meetings  soon  became 
apparent  in  the  social  and  moral  improvement  of  the 
people.  Here  the  settlers  met  each  other  and  brought 
with  them  their  children,  where,  at  least  once  in  each 
week,  they  could  hear  prayers  offered,  and  religious 
duties  explained.  Here,  once  in  each  week,  the  joys 
and  sorrows  of  all  could  be  talked  over,  and  their  ne- 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  255 

cessities  be  made  known,  and  opportunities  offered 
for  relieving  them. 

These  meetings  were  regularly  carried  on  with  a 
wonderful  interest,  for  many  years,  and  appeared  to 
be  happily  adapted  to  the  religious  and  social  wants 
of  the  people.  It  is  said,  and  probably  with  truth, 
that  until  1804,  some  one  of  these  three  fathers  of 
this  embryonic  church  was  present  at  every  meeting, 
and  conducted  the  religious  exercises,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  one  Sunday,  when  Henry  Kelar  read  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Episcopal  church. 

These  men  looked  to  sound  religious  principle  as  the 
foundation  of  good  order ;  and  taught,  both  by  pre- 
cept and  example,  what  they  considered  the  correct 
standard  of  christian  character.  They  always  ob- 
served daily  morning  and  evening  family  prayers,  and 
were  careful  to  instruct  their  children  in  the  Bible  and 
catechism.  Claghorn  and  Weeks  were  of  a  business 
turn  of  mind,  and  ready  to  undertake  any  public  en- 
terprise, and  thus  made  their  influence  felt  in  lavor 
of  their  religion,  on  a  class  of  men  who  might  other- 
wise have  remained  unreaclied.  Story  was  better 
known  for  his  pious  example,  and  quiet  reproofs  and 
instructions.  Claghorn  w^as  ambitious,  and  fond  of 
office,  and  yet,  never  sought  a  position  among  his 
neighbors  at  a  sacrifice  of  principle.  Weeks  was  more 
retiring,  but  full  of  good  huinor  and  frankness,  and 

21* 


256  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

was  playful  beyond  mediocrity.  He  sometimes  went 
so  far  in  playfulness,  that  some  persons  who  inclined 
to  superstitious  strictness,  thought  he  exceeded  the 
bounds  of  piety.  Story,  being  of  more  serious  in- 
clinations, rarely  gave  offence  in  any  way. 

As  an  instance  of  the  estimate  that  magistrates  set 
upon  moral  example,  in  those  days,  and  of  their  duty 
in  enforcing  the  laws,  we  might  mention  the  fact  that 
Mr.  Claghorn,  at  a  town  meeting  held  March  8th, 
1790,  fined  Nathaniel  Buel  two  dollars  for  using  pro- 
fane language  on  that  day. 

But  while  these  men  took  so  prominent  a  part  in 
the  religious  and  social  improvements  of  the  town, 
others  were  among  us  who,  under  the  same  circum- 
stances, would  have  done  as  much  or  more.  Many 
came  into  town  about  this  time,  who  did  much  to 
promote  its  interests,  and  to  raise  its  social  condition. 
Among  these  were  Stephen  Hard,  Asa  Lawrence,  Sa- 
lathiel  Bump  and  others.  The  tables  of  town  ofiicers 
and  of  responsible  committees  show  that  these  men 
held  no  obscure  position  in  the  early  doings  of  the 
town. 

The  religious  meetings  were  particularly  strength- 
ened and  its  leaders  encouraged  by  John  Holt,  Esq., 
Smauley  and  Keuben  Saxton,  and  many  other  pro- 
fessing christians,  who  undertook  the  work  as  if  they 
felt  its  importance. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  257 

The  society  was  also  greatly  favored  with  occasion- 
al lectures  from  Rev.  Mr.  Barnet,  the  first  minister 
settled  in  Middlebury,  and  from  Rev.  Mr.  Wooster, 
of  Cornwall,  also  from  Rev.  Mr.  Chittenden,  an  Epis- 
copal clergyman  who  occasionally  came  throngh  this 
part  of  the  state  as  a  missionary  from  Connecticut, 
and  also  from  other  missionaries  from  the  same 
state. 

As  the  society  increased  in  numbers  and  influence, 
the  clergy  began  to  take  more  interest  in  it,  and  the 
people  to  make  greater  effort  to  "obtain  preaching. 
Accordingly  we  find  Rev.  Mr.  Parker  preaching  here 
on  a  few  Sundays  in  1790,  and  Rev.  Elisha  Mosely 
four  or  five  Sundays  in  1791,  and  in  1795  or  1796, 
Rev.  Mr.  Remilee's  services  engaged  for  three  months 
at  a  time.  In  the  winter  of  1798,  Rev.  Mr.  Randall 
was  hired  for  another  term  of  three  months,  and  un- 
der his  teaching  an  unusual  interest  was  excited  on 
the  subject  of  religion,  and  quite  a  large  number  of 
persons  were  reclaimed  from  their  former  wickedness 
and  led  to  entertain  a  hope  in  the  merits  of  their  Sa- 
viour. 

Some  of  these  new  converts  united  with  the  Con- 
gregational church  in  Cornwall,  while  others  joined 
the  church  in  Middlebury,  and  others  still  united  and 
formed,  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Mr.  Mitchell,  a 


258  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

class  in  Jernsalern*  (a  district  in  Leicester),  which 
was  called  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Society. 

These  early  religions  meetings  were  invariably  held 
at  the  school-house  in  district  No.  1,  from  1789  until 
about  the  year  1800,  and  the  services  and  general 
management  of  the  society  conducted  on  one  uniform 
plan. 

At  the  expiration  of  this  period,  it  was  thought 
that  the  religious  interests  of  the.town  could  be  better 
promoted   by  holding   the   meetings   at  the  school- 

*  This  part  of  Leicester  happened  to  be  named  Jerusalem-, 
after  this  wise.  Gamaliel  Painter,  about  the  year  1787,  al- 
lowed two  of  his  colts  to  run  at  large,  and  they  strayed  so  far 
that  one  of  them  was  lost.  A  few  years  afterward,  Mr.  Pain- 
ter one  day  was  standing  on  the  bank  of  the  creek  among  the 
trees,  when  he  overheard  John  Farnham,  who  was  a  very  loud 
speaking  man,  and  who  at  that  time  was  passing  down  the 
creek  on  a  raft  of  logs,  tell  his  companion  all  about  the  loss 
of  this  colt. 

Here  Mr.  Painter  learned  that  Isaac  Scott  and  Cyrus 
Walch,  who  lived  in  the  south-Avesterly  part  of  the  town,  had 
killed  his  colt  by  accident,  and  to  prevent  discovery,  laid  the 
animal  upon  a  log-heap,  and  consumed  it  by  fire. 

Mr.  Painter,  having  secured  payment  for  tlio  animal,  de- 
clared that  "that  part  of  the  town  should  heroaftor  bo  (>all(d 
Jerusalem,  because  they  had  made  a  burnt  sacrifice  iIk  rr, 
by  offering  up  his  colt  on  an  altar  made  of  logs." 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  259 

house  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  and  accordingly  the 
society  began  to  assemble  at  that  place. 

In  the  absence  of  a  minister,  one  of  the  leading 
members  usually  conducted  the  exercises,  offered  the 
prayers  and  read  a  sermon ;  and  perhaps  more  com- 
monly the  different  parts  of  the  exercises  were  per- 
formed by  different  individuals  at  the  same  meeting. 
Ilolland  Weeks  read  the  sermons  until  Reuben  Sax- 
ton  came  into  town,  which  was  in  1799.  After  that 
time,  Mr.  Saxton,  being  a  ^ood  reader,  having  a  clear 
voice  and  distinct  articulation,  undertook  the  perform- 
ance of  this  duty,  which  he  continued  to  do  on  all 
necessary  occasions,  for  the  space  of  thirty  years. 

The  clergy  of  all  denominations,  as  they  came 
among  us,  were  treated  with  the  greatest  hospitality. 
The  doors  of  the  settlers  were  always  open  to  them, 
and  the  people  always  glad  to  show  their  regard  and 
high  respect  for  the  ministerial  office.  The  ministry 
then  commanded  a  more  general  and  unreserved  rev- 
erence, than  in  these  later  days  of  criticism  and  free 
speech. 

The  church  proper,  as  is  recorded  in  a  previous 
chapter,  was  organized  in  1804,  and  commenced 
under  circumstances  not  the  most  flattering.  It  was 
organized  at  a  private  house,  that  of  Ilolland  Weeks, 
and  was  composed  of  only  five  male  and  four  female 
members,  and  none  of  these  had  ever  taken  any  active 


260  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

part  in  matters  of  the  town,  and  but  one  of  the  males 
had  ever  taken  an  active  interest  in  religions  meet- 
ings, and  most  of  them  being  young,  had  not  had  the 
advantage  of  experience  in  church  matters. 

A  short  time  after  the  church  was  formed,  one  of 
the  old  leaders,  one  Sunday,  arose  in  meeting,  and,  as 
usual,  commenced  reading  a  psalm ;  about  the  same 
time,  a  young  man  who  was  a  member  of  the  new 
formed  church,  arose,  and  commenced  reading  ano- 
ther psalm,  in  a  louder  tone  of  voice,  and  continued 
to  read,  while  the  other,  astonished  and  ashamed  of 
his  young  brother,  sat  down  in  silence.  The  psalm 
was  sung,  but  all  the  congregation  was  much  distur- 
bed, and  man}^  left  the  house.  This  little,  but  un- 
fortunate matter,  caused  a  vast  deal  of  subsequent 
trouble.  It  seemed  to  be  an  indication  on  the  part  of 
the  church,  that  the  services  of  the  old  leaders  were 
no  longer  w^anted  in  their  religious  meetings. 

For  several  years  previous  to  this  the  town  seemed 
to  be  in  a  state  of  unusual  prosperity.  The  contro- 
versy between  Yermont  and  the  claimants  of  New 
York,  had  been  settled.  The  State,  in  1791  had  been 
admitted  into  the  Union  on  an  etpial  footing  with  her 
sister  states.  The  long  and  tedious  controversy  with 
Leicester,  had  long  before  been  brought  to  an  amica- 
ble settlement,  and  no  religious  difticulties  had  previ- 
ously agitated  the  public  mind. 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  261 

But  this  event  appeared  to  produce  a  very  great 
and  general  excitement,  which  pervaded  the  entire 
town,  and  called  forth  a  mass  meeting  of  its  inhabi- 
tants. At  this  mass  meeting,  the  whole  matter  was 
very  seriously  and  thoroughly  discussed,  and  by  a 
committee  appointed  for  that  purpose,  it  was  reported 
that  there  ought  to  be  a  religious  meeting  held  every 
Sunday,  separate  from  the  meetings  of  the  church, 
whereupon  Eleazer  Claghorn,  Holland  Weeks,  and 
Daniel  Saxton,  were  appointed  as  managers,  to  keep 
alive  and  direct  the  religious  meetings  as  had  been 
done  so  many»years. 

These  elderly  men,  and  a  great  part  of  those  who 
had  taken  the  greatest  interest  in  the  religious  meet- 
ings, could  not  conscientiously  subscribe  to  all  the 
articles  of  faith  which  had  been  adopted  by  the 
church  ;  and  by  the  obligations  of  that  church,  every 
member  w^as  to  give  his  unqualified  assent  and  ap- 
proval of  those  articles,  and  govern  his  daily  w^alk 
and  conversation  by  them.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
members  of  the  church  thought  it  unsafe  and  unlike 
a  church  to  carry  on  meetings  in  so  loose  a  manner, 
without  written  articles  of  faith  or  creed  to  guide 
them,  and  looked  upon  all  outside  their  organization 
as  heterodox,  and  unfit  to  call  themselves  members 
of  Christ's  church. 

This  unfortunate  state  of  things  brought  the  interests 


262  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

of  the  church  in  conflict  with  the  feelings  and  wishes 
of  most  people  in  town.  Scarcely  half  a  dozen  per- 
sons other  than  the  members  of  the  church  attended 
its  meetings,  while  at  the  same  time  the  meetings  of 
the  society  were  filled  to  overflowing. 

The  society  now  for  a  while  held  its  meetings  at 
Mr.  Saxton's  barn,  but  it  was  soon  apparent  that  its 
increasing  numbers  (increased  undoubtedly  by  the 
recent  excitement  to  a  certain  extent,)  would  soon 
require  a  more  commodious  place  of  worship.  Ac- 
cordingly a  plan  for  a  meeting-house,  of  sufiicient  size 
to  accommodate  several  hundred  people,  was  soon 
adopted,  and  pew  ground  sold  at  auction  sufficient  to 
raise  the  means  to  erect,  cover  and  glaze  the  house. 
A  building  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of 
Holland  Weeks,  Keuben  Saxton  and  Christopher 
Johnson,  and  the  house  was  so  rapidly  constructed, 
after  the  work  was  commenced,  that  it  was  used  for 
holding  meetings  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks. 

In  the  meantime  the  matters  of  difficulty  between 
the  church  and  some  of  the  leading  men  of  the  so- 
ciety were  constantly  increasing.  Proposals  had  been 
made  by  Mr.  Claghorn  and  others  for  cutting  out  or 
modifying  some  of  the  articles  of  faith  in  the  church, 
but  without  effect. 

And  just  about  this  time,  the  church  brought 
charges  and  allegations  against  Holland  Weeks,  for 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  263 

immoral  conduct,  and  held  a  kind  of  trial  of  him,  but 
being  unable  to  sustain  their  allegations  bj  proof,  he 
was  acquitted. 

Not  satisfied  with  this  attempt,  they  presented  spe- 
cific charges  against  Daniel  Saxton,  Christopher  John- 
son, Eleazer  Claghorn,  William  Copeland  and  Henry 
Kelar,  not  only  for  immoral  conduct  on  the  part  of 
some,  but  especially  for  opposition  to  the  church  and 
for  helping  forward  schismatic  meetings,  on  the  part 
of  all. 

A  council  of  clergy  was  called  several  times  in  the 
space  of  a  year  or  two,  but  their  advice  did  but  little 
toward  effecting  reconciliation  and  harmony. 

An  occurrence  took  place  about  the  middle  of  May, 
1804,  which  operated,  for  a  short  time,  to  allay  this 
excitement,  and  was  expected  for  some  time  to  be  the 
cause  of  bringing  the  two  parties  together. 

One  Sunday  morning,  after  the  people  had  assem- 
bled at  Mr.  Saxton's  barn  for  worship,  it  was  ascer- 
tained that  a  missionary  from  Connecticut  had  met 
with  the  church,  at  the  school-house  but  a  few  rods 
distant,  and  was  to  preach  there  that  day. 

Wishing  for  the  benefits  of  this  opportunity  to  hear 
preaching  themselves,  the  society  delegated  Mr.  Sax- 
ton  to  go  over  and  invite  the  missionary  and  the 
church  to  come  and  hold  the  meeting  in  the  barn, 
where  all  the  people  could  be  better  accommodated 

22 


264:  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

with  room  and  seats.  Tliis  request  was  so  reasonable, 
that  it  could  not  be  met  with  a  denial,  and  the  church 
and  society  once  more  mingled  together  in  the  wor- 
ship of  God.  This  experiment  worked  so  well,  that 
the  church  and  society  concluded  that,  even  though 
remaining  separate  bodies,  they  might  unite  in  hiring 
the  same  minister,  and  both  worship  under  the  same 
roof. 

But  the  church  was  small,  and  poor,  and  could  do 
but  little  toward  paying  the  minister's  salary,  or  de- 
fraying the  expenses  of  building  the  new  meeting- 
house ;  and  more,  it  was  difficult  to  please  the  society 
with  a  minister  who  would  preach  doctrines  which 
would  suit  the  church  ;  and  finally  it  was  found  that 
the  strength  of  both  parties  combined  would  be  insuf- 
ficient to  support  a  minister  for  a  whole  year — and 
even  if  it  had  been,  their  difficulties  had  become  so 
fixed,  and  the  prejudices  of  the  people  so  deeply  rooted 
against  the  church,  that  no  minister  could  have  been 
obtained  who  would  have  been  pious  enough  and  wise 
enough  to  control  both  parties,  so  the  idea  of  a  coa- 
lition was  abandoned. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  summer  of  1804,  Abiel 
Jones,  both  physician  and  clergyman,  a  man  of  much 
worth  and  learning  came  this  way,  looking  for  a  place 
in  which  he  might  locate  as  a  physician,  and  preach 
the  Gospel  at  the  same  time.     This  was  considered 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBCTKT.  265 

by  the  whole  people  as  an  instance  of  providential 
care,  for  by  it  the  town  could  be  supplied  with  preach- 
ing, let  prejudices  operate  as  they  might.  The  ser- 
vices of  Mr.  Jones  were  therefore  secured,  for  a  year, 
with  the  understanding  that  he  should  continue  longer 
if  all  parties  were  pleased. 

He  continued  in  the  office  three  or  four  years,  and 
performed  its  duties  well.  He  preached  practical  ser- 
mons, and  dwelt  much  on  the  practical  duties  of  the 
christian  life.  He  used  language  adapted  to  the 
understanding  of  his  hearers,  and  gave  expressions 
to  sentiments  free  from  doctrinal  and  controversial 
objections,  and  at  the  close  of  his  short  but  useful 
ministry  here,  during  which  many  were  led  into  the 
ways  of  the  better  life,  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
the  state  of  Ohio. 

N^otwithstanding  Mr.  Jones'  great  prudence  and 
wisdom,  he  was  not  the  means  of  reconciling  the 
church  and  society ;  and  about  the  time  he  left,  the 
old  prejudices  began  to  revive  again,  and  some,  be- 
coming dissatisfied  with  so  unpleasant  a  state  of  af- 
fairs, threatened  to  leave  town.  For  this  reason, 
among  others,  in  1807  Mr.  Claghorn  sold  out  his 
property  here,  and  in  the  following  year  moved  to 
Middlebury,  where  he  made  application  for  admis- 
sion into  the  church  of  that  town.  But  the  church 
in  Salisbury  had  appointed  a  committee  to  prevent, 


266     *  HISTOBY   OF   SALISBURY.    ' 

if  possible,  his  admission  there.  This  committee 
made  their  allegations  against  Mr.  Claghorn  in  wri- 
ting, and  Dr.  Merrill,  pastor  of  the  church  in  Mid- 
dlebury,  notified  the  church  here  that  Mr.  Clag- 
horn's  case  would  be  heard,  if  required,  at  a  church 
meeting  on  December  2d,  1808.  But  this  appears  to 
have  been  the  end  of  the  matter,  for  Mr.  Claghorn 
was  received  as  a  member  in  Middlebury,  and  lived 
many  years  in  that  town,  and  adorned  his  profession 
by  living  a  goodly  life,  and  finally  died  a  hopeful 
Christian. 

Henry  Kelar  also  sold  his  farm  here  about  this 
time,  and  went  to  Middlebury  and  united  with  the 
church  in  that  town,  and  many  others  were  much  dis- 
satisfied, and  showed  a  strong  desire  to  sell  out  and 
leave  the  place. 

During  this  struggle  for  the  ascendancy  in  religi- 
ous matters,  which  lasted  about  six  years,  the  privi- 
leges of  the  ordinances  of  the  church  were  very 
limited.  Many  neglected  to  come  to  the  Lord's 
table,  and  many  neglected  the  baptism  of  their  chil- 
dren. The  eyes  of  the  people  appeared  to  be  more 
upon  the  success  of  their  respective  parties  than  upon 
the  duties  which  a  healthy  religious  sentiment  and  a 
true  faith  would  enjoin. 

Many  difterent  schemes  of  reconciliation  were  sug- 
gested from  time  to  time,  and  new  doctrines  advoca- 


HI8T0EY   OF   SALISBURY.  267 

ted,  by  adopting  which,  it  was  supposed  all  mi^ht  be 
pleased,  but  all  efforts  of  the  kind  were  unavailing 
until  the  year  1810. 

During  this  year,  although  the  people  had  not  the 
ministrations  of  any  regular  minister,  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  periods  of  religious  interest  occurred, 
which  the  town  has  ever  seen,  and  while  the  attention 
of  the  people  was  called  suddenly  and  marvelously 
to  the  present  danger  of  their  souls,  and  made  to  think 
of  mercy  and  forgiveness,  they  forgot  their  old  strifes, 
or  looked  back  upon  them  in  sorrow,  and  came  to- 
gether in  one  harmonious  body.  Among  the  results 
of  this  revival  was  that  vote  recorded  in  a  previous 
chapter.  "  that  no  old  matters  of  difficulty  should  be 
any  longer  brought  up  in  objection  to  one  another," 
and  a  slight  modification  of  the  language  of  the  arti- 
cles of  faith. 

This  long  and  tedious  contention  being  at  last 
brought  to  a  close,  a  way  was  opened  for  the  settle- 
ment of  a  minister,  as  soon  as  one  could  be  obtained, 
and  accordingly,  in  October  of  1811,  Eev.  Rufus 
Fumroy  was  installed  the  first  pastor  of  the  church. 

Matters  went  on  very  pleasantly  and  profitably, 
and  the  church  appeared,  in  all  respects,  to  be  doing 
remarkably  well  under  the  instructions  of  its  pastor, 
until  about  the  year  1815,  when  a  difficulty,  arising 
principally  from   geographical   position,  sprung  up 

22* 


268  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

between  the  village,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  nor- 
thern, middle  and  western  parts  of  the  town,  on  the 
other.  The  glass  factory  at  Lake  Dunmore  had  gone 
into  successful  operation  about  two  years  before,  and 
the  village  was  rapidly  increasing  in  inhabitants  and 
supposed  wealth. 

In  addition  to  this,  several  persons  who  were  mem- 
bers and  officers  of  the  Leicester  Congregational 
Church,  and  who  in  fact,  with  their  families,  consti- 
tuted a  majority  of  that  church,  had  moved  into  the 
village,  and  were  making  preparations  for  moving 
their  church  with  them.  It  had  already  holden  seve- 
ral meetings  in  the  village,  and  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  been  administered  there. 

All  these  things  consj^iring  to  the  advantage  of  the 
village,  gave  it  the  idea  of  so  much  importance,  that 
the  people  living  there  signified  to  the  church  of  Salis- 
bury their  desire  and  intention  of  withdrawing  from 
it  and  uniting  with  that  of  Leicester,  which  was  then 
being  so  happily  established  among  tliem."'^ 

It  happened  that  at  this  time,  quite  a  considerable 
amount  of  Mr.  Pumroy's  salary,  though  due  was  un- 
paid, and  it  had  been  stipulated,  at  the  time  of  his 
settlement,  that  in  case  of  any  such  failure  in  pay- 

*  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  Salisbury  church,  at  this 
time  was  holding  its  meetings  at  the  centre  of  the  town. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  269 

ment,  he  should  be  permitted  -to  preach  in  other 
places  to  make  up  the  deficiency.  ISTow  but  compar- 
atively few  of  the  people  at  the  village  had  obligated 
themselves  to  support  the  preaching  at  the  centre  of 
the  town,  and  concluded  that  it  would  be  better,  or  at 
least,  more  convenient,  for  them  to  secure  preaching 
at  the  village  for  as  great  a  part  of  the  year  as  pos- 
sible, and  made  a  proposal  to  Mr.  Pumroy  to  come 
there  and  preach,  in  making  up  the  deficiency  in  his 
salary. 

^  This  proposal  Mr.  Pumroy  unfortunately  accepted, 
without  advising  with  any  member  of  the  church  or 
society  of  his  particular  charge. 

Soon  after  this  new  move,  church  discipline  was  in- 
stituted against  several  members  living  in  the  village 
for  absenting  themselves  from  the  worship  of  their 
own  church  and  for  neglecting  its  ordinances,  but  the 
matter  was  adjusted  by  an  agreement  entered  into 
with  the  derelict  members,  during  the  session  of  a 
council  of  ministers  and  delegates,  holden  at  the  vil- 
lage, January  24:th,  1816. 

At  the  session  of  this  council,  the  church  was  ac- 
tually divided,  and  two  Congregational  societies  were 
in  existence  in  town  for  a  long  time,  which  assembled 
at  difi'erent  places  of  worship. 

By  the  conditions  of  the  agreement,  both  were  to 
contribute  to  the  support  of  the  minister,  in  the  pro- 


270  HISTORY    OF   SALISBUET. 

portion  of  two  to  one,  that  occupying  the  meeting- 
house paying  the  greater  share ;  and  in  case  either 
society  failed  to  pay  its  proportion,  the  other  was  per- 
mitted to  engage  the  services  of  the  minister  in  making 
up  the  deficiency. 

But  it  was  soon  found  that  it  was  impracticable  to 
undertake  to  support  two  societies  in  a  town  of  so 
few  inhabitants,  and  long  since  both  w^ere  again  coal- 
esced in  one. 

The  step  which  Mr.  Pumroy  took,  in  leaving  his 
own  charge  and  going  to  preach  at  the  village,  un- 
doubtedly detracted  much  from  his  influence,  and 
consequently  from  his  usefulness,  and  was  the  princi- 
pal cause  of  his  dismission.  He  soon  became  sensi- 
ble that  the  duties  of  his  office  could  be  performed 
with  greater  good  in  some  other  place,  and  called  an 
exjparte  council  to  give  him  dismission,  the  members 
of  which  arrived  in  town,  before  any  notice  of  his  in- 
tentions had  been  given  to  the  church  or  society,  and 
consequently  were  obliged  to  adjourn  to  another 
day. 

Mr.  Pumroy  supposed  he  was  entitled  to  the  whole 
of  the  right  of  land  given  by  the  charter  to  the  first 
settled  minister,  but  it  was  shown  on  the  trial  before 
the  consociation,  that  there  was  an  agreement,  though 
not  in  writing,  between  him  and  his  people,  made  at 
the  time  of  his  settlement,  that  if  he  ceased  to  be 


HISTOEY   OF    SALISBUEY.  271 

their  minister  within  ten  years,  he  should  be  entitled 
to  only  one  tenth  part  of  this  right  for  each  year  of 
his  labor,  and  as  his  services  had  continued  only  five 
years,  by  the  decision  of  the  consociation,  he  could 
justly  claim  no  more  than  half  the  land.  In  compli- 
ance with  this  decision,  Mr.  Pumroy  deeded  back  the 
other  half  of  his  right,  or,  to  use  his  own  words, 
"  gave  the  church  and  society  one  half  of  his  right  of 
land,  as  a  donation,"  and  his  connection  with  this 
church  and  people  was  dissolved. 

This  half  thus  deeded  back,  was  again  deeded  to 
Kev.  Joseph  Cheney,  at  the  time  he  undertook  the 
care  of  the  church  in  1819. 


272  HISTOKY   OF   SAI^IfiBITBY. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Gamaliel  Painter. — E.  Jones. — Walter'  Sheldon. — 
John  Dyer. 

Gamaliel  Painter  was  born  in  'Hew  Haven,  Conn., 
May  22d,  1742,  and  moved  into  this  country  in  1773. 
He  pitched  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  embracing  the 
farm  now  occupied  by  William  F.  Goodrich.  In  the 
autumn  of  1787,  he  moved  to  Middlebury  Falls,  and 
took  a  prominent  part  in  every  movement  which 
might  favor  the  town  and  county  in  which  he  lived, 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1819. 

Mr.  Painter  filled  many  public  offices,  and  always 
performed  his  duties  with  great  wisdom  and  effici- 
ency. 

He  was  liberal  in  his  opinions,  and  generous  to  all 
his  neighbors.  He  had  the  foresight  to  see  tliat  to 
build  up  the  town  of  his  adoption,  he  must  sell  lots 
to  emigrants  at  a  reasonable  rate,  rather  than  retard 
or  stop  its  growth  by  a  narrow  avarice.  He  was  a 
liberal  supporter  of  all  public  benevolent  and  chari- 
table institutions. 

He  was  one  of  the  original  trustees  of  Middlebury 


I 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBUEY.  273 

College,  aDd  always  took  an  active  interest  in  the  suc- 
cess of  that  institution  ;  superintended  the  erection 
of  the  new  stone  building,  and  gave  much  toward  de- 
fraying the  expense  of  it,  and  finally,  in  his  will, 
made  a  bequest  to  the  college,  amounting  to  about 
thirteen  thousand  dollars. 

Epaph.  Jones  was  a  native  of  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut, and  moved  into  this  country  in  1803,  first  settling 
in  Middlebury,  where  he  successfully  carried  on  the 
business  of  a  merchant  for  several  years.  During 
his  residence  in  Middlebury,  he  introduced  a  new 
kind  of  sheep,  which  at  that  time  was  considered  a 
great  improvement  on  what  was  known  as  the  native 
breed. 

This  new  breed  of  sheep  was  well  known  by  the 
peculiar  reddish  color  of  the  lambs,  a  color  retained 
by  them  several  months  after  their  birth.  The  Me- 
rino sheep  being  introduced  soon  after,  the  Jones 
sheep  had  no  great  success,  though  indications  of  their 
blood  were  often  seen  in  Addison  county,  as  late  as 
1840.  In  1809,  Mr.  Jones  moved  into  Salisbury  and 
settled  on  the  western  shore  of  Lake  Dunmore,  where 
he  commenced  the  work  of  building  the  glass  factory. 
Here  he  took  an  active  part  in  the  glass-making  busi- 
ness, until  it  was  brought  to  a  close  at  the  termina- 
tion of  the  war  of  1812.     In  1818  he  left  the  town 


274:  HISTORY  OF   SALISBUET. 

and  located  in  Providence,  where  he  died,  leaving  no 
children. 

It  was  during  Mr.  Jones'  residence  at  Lake  Dun- 
more,  that  an  incident  occurred  which  brought  into 
notice  the  circumstances  through  which  the  lake  ob- 
tained its  present  name. 

One  of  Mr.  Jones'  hired  men,  while  chopping  wood 
on  the  western  shore  of  the  lake,  struck  his  axe  into 
a  thick,  heavy  bottle  which  lay  imbedded  in  the 
crotch  of  a  tree.  This  fact  excited  a  good  deal  of  cu- 
riosity at  the  time,  though  it  was  apparent  to  all  that 
the  bottle  must  have  been  deposited  there  by  some 
person  at  quite  an  early  day,  for  the  wood  had  grown 
over  and  around  it  so  as  to  conceal  it  entirely  from 
the  sight. 

The  mystery  of  the  time  and  circumstances  of  its 
being  placed  there  might  have  remained  unsolved  to 
this  day,  had  not  the  fact  of  its  being  found  been  told, 
one  day,  in  the  presence  of  Henry  Wiswool,  of  Whi- 
ting, Vermont,  who  said  he  knew  all  about  the  mat- 
ter, and  that  Lord  Dunmore  placed  the  bottle  in  the 
tree,  and  that  he  was  present  and  saw  him  do  it. 

Mr.  Wiswool  always  had  the  reputation  of  being  a 
man  in  whose  word  implicit  reliance  could  be  placed, 
and  we  do  not  think  there  is  any  reasonable  doubt  of 
the  truth  of  his  story. 

The  Earl  of  Dunmore  was  appointed  colonial  gov- 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  275 

emor  of  New  York  in  1770,  and  served  in  tliat  ca- 
pacity that  year  and  in  1771.  It  was  after  he  had 
left  this  office,  and  yet  while  the  lands  of  Vermont 
were  claimed  hy  'New  York,  that  he,  in  company  with 
a  small  party  of  gentlemen  from  Albany,  ISTew  York, 
made  an  excursion  through  this  part  of  the  state,  to 
see  the  character  of  the  land,  and  to  gratify  a  general 
curiosity.  Having  arrived  at  Sutherland's  falls,  they 
engaged  the  services  of  two  Indians,  who  took  them 
down  Otter  creek  as  far  as  Leicester,  where  they  stop- 
ped and  pitched  their  tent  for  the  night  on  a  rise  of 
ground  near  Jeremiah  Parker's  house,  where  Ebene- 
zer  Jenny  now  lives. 

Lord  Dunraore  here  learned  from  Mr.  Parker  some- 
thing of  the  beauty  of  the  lake  which  has  since  borne 
his  name,  and  of  its  surrounding  scenery,  and  of  the 
opportunities  there  afforded  for  fishing  and  other 
sports,  and  determined  to  visit  it  on  the  following  day. 
Henry  Wis  wool,  who  at  that  time  was  living  at  Mr. 
Parker's,  offered  his  services  as  guide,  which  were 
gladly  accepted,  and  on  the  following  morning  the 
party,  taking  their  boats,  went  out  of  the  creek  and 
up  Leicester  river  to  the  present  site  of  Salisbury 
village,  and  from  there  on  foot  over  the  hills,  to  the 
lake. 

Here,  on  the  western  shore  of  the  lake,  they  took 
their  refreshments,  among  which,  as  might  have  been 

23 


276  HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY. 

expected,  especially  in  those  days,  was  a  bottle  of 
some  kind  of  liquor  or  wine.  After  some  time  spent 
in  the  survey  of  the  lake  and  its  environs,  it  was  sug- 
gested that  the  remainder  of  the  contents  of  the  bot- 
tle should  be  appropriated  in  giving  a  name  to  the 
lake,  and  that  it  should  take  the  name  of  Lord  Dun- 
more,  and  that  he  should  perform  the  proper  ceremo- 
nies. To  this  he  assented,  and  then  wading  into  the 
lake  a  few  steps,  poured  the  libation  into  the  water, 
and  proclaimed  that,  '''Ever  after ^  this  hody  of  water 
shall  he  called  Lalce  Dunmore^  in  honor  of  the  Earl 
of  DunmoreP 

This  ceremony  being  done,  the  governor  ordered 
the  two  Indians  to  bend  down  a  small  tree  standing 
near,  which  they  split  at  the  point  of  union  of  its  two 
main  branches,  which  spread  in  opposite  directions 
near  its  top,  while  he  inserted  the  bottle  between,  and 
bound  it  fast,  that  it  might  not  be  thrown  out  of  its 
place  when  the  tree  sprang  back  to  its  original  po- 
sition. ^ 

Undoubtedly  this  tree  was  the  one  Mr.  Jones'  man 
cut,  forty  years  afterward,  and  the  bottle  on  which  he 
dulled  his  axe,  was  the  one  placed  there  by  the  Earl 
of  Dunmore  in  1773. 

Walter  Sheldon,  son  of  Moses  Sheldon,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Salisbury,  Connecticut,  and  came  into  tliis 
town  with  his  father,  in  1810. 


.«*■ 


*4. 


A^^^^ 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  279 

At  an  earlj  age  tie  manifested  a  great  desire  for  in- 
tellectual pursuits,  and  gave  promise  of  more  than 
ordinary  ability.  On  account  of  a  want  of  pecuniary 
means,  he  was  finally  compelled  to  forego  a  classical 
education,  and  pursue  only  those  studies  afforded  by 
ordinary  schools.  By  industry,  and  perseverance,  he 
acquired  a  very  good  education,  and  finally  entered 
upon  the  studies  of  the  law,  in  the  ofiice  of  Hon.  Ho- 
ratio Seymour,  of  Middlebury,  Vermont,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  of  Addison  county  in  1811. 

He  was  subsequently  compelled  to  leave  the  pro- 
fession he  had  cliosen,  principally,  as  the  author  is  in- 
formed, on  account  of  the  injurious  effects  of  seden- 
tary habits  upon  his  health,  and  at  last  entered  the 
army.  He  received  a  lieutenant's  commission  in  the 
United  States  army,  and  served  in  that  capacity  in 
the  war  of  1812.  While  in  the  army  he  also  received 
the  appointment  of  paymaster,  and  fulfilled  its  duties 
for  a  long  time. 

About  the  close  of  the.  war,  his  health  became  so 
much  impaired  as  to  be  past  recovery,  and  he  died  in 
1816,  of  consumption. 

He  was  a  man  of  quick  perception  and  good  judg- 
ment, and  possessed  talents  and  good  common  sense, 
in  more  than  ordinary  measure. 

John  Dyer  was  born  in  Shrewsbury,  Yermont, 
October  28th,  1802,  and  moved  into  Salisbury  in  the 


280  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

spring  of  1 834,  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  the  south- 
western part  of  the  town.  Ilis  business  was  that  of 
an  agriculturist,  which  he  always  carried  on  in  a 
thorough  and  s^'stematic  manner,  and  consequently 
with  profit.  All  the  evidences  of  a  good  and  thrifty 
farmer,  good  buildings,  fences  and  stock,  were  to  be 
seen  about  his  premises. 

He  was  a  good  business  man,  and  prudent  in  all  his 
undertakings.  ISTot  being  easily  led  into  any  visionary 
scheme,  he  acted  from  common  sense  and  sound  judg- 
ment, and  whatever  he  undertook  he  did  well.  These 
qualifications  rendered  him  a  fit  person  for  town 
offices,  many  of  which  he  held  during  his  residence 
here. 

On  the  25th  of  March,  1823,  he  was  married  to 
Elizabeth  T.  Morton,  with  whom  he  lived  until  his 
death. 

Mr.  Dyer  had  five  children,  three  of  whom  died  of 
a  malignant  fever,  in  the  winter  of  1849  and  1850. 
The  oldest  of  these,  William  E.,  taught  the  school  in 
district,  No.  1,  four  or  ^ve  winters  in  succession,  and 
was  again  teaching  the  same  school  when  he  was  com- 
pelled to  leave  it  by  the  sickness  with  which  he  died. 
He  was  an  excellent  teacher,  and  when  he  died  was 
mourned  by  a  large  circle  of  pupils  and  friends.  He 
spared  no  pains  in  the  instruction  of  those  under  his 
charge,  and  though  strict  in  his  discipline,  he  seldom 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  281 

gave  offence.  The  truth  is,  it  is  because  he  was  so 
faithful  that  he  taught  his  pupils  so  much. 

Mr.  Dyer  held  the  office  of  one  of  the  selectmen 
several  years,  and  was  justice  of  the  peace  nearly 
every  year  of  his  residence  in  town,  and  from  time  to 
time  filled  other  town  offices  with  ability  and  prompt- 
ness. In  the  years  1851  and  1852,  he  was  sent  to  the 
General  Assembly,  and  performed  his  duties  on  seve- 
ral important  committees  with  credit  both  to  himself 
and  the  town. 

He  was  a  man  respected  throughout  all  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  lived.  He  was  frank,  kind  and 
hospitable.  Being  sociable  in  his  nature,  and  of  ge- 
nial domestic  habits,  he  was  much  attached  to  all  his 
family,  and  they,  in  turn,"  to  him.  Feeling  the  im- 
portance of  a  good  practical  education,  he  brought  up 
his  children  to  make  active  executive  men ;  and  fi- 
nally, much  lamented,  died  of  the  typhus  fever,  after 
a  short  sickness,  on  the  11th  day  of  October,  1853. 

23* 


282  HISTOET   OF   SALI6BUBT. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

POLITICAL    PARTIES. GEOGRAPHICAL    DIVISIONS. 

Since  the  year  1816,  differences,  arising  from  geo- 
graphical position,  have  mingled  with  every  interest 
in  town. 

It  is  true,  ecclesiastical  councils  are  no  longer  re- 
quired to  settle  local  questions — indeed,  religious  con- 
troversy is  now  known  only  in  history,  but  other 
questions,  arising  from  difference  of  position,  have 
arisen  from  time  to  time,  and  caused  some  excite- 
ment and  ill  feeling. 

Every  question  is  now  settled  by  the  ballot  box, 
and  ever  since  the  year  1816,  the  ballot  box  has  been 
the  sure  index  of  the  various  local  feelings  of  the 
people  in  town. 

Local  prejudices  increased  in  strength  as  the  popu- 
lation increased,  from  1816  to  1828,  when  it  was 
found  that  the  village  and  its  vicinity  had  gained  the 
ascendancy.  The  people  in  the  northern  and  western 
parts  of  the  town,  struggled  hard  against  it,  but  they 
were  at  last  compelled,  as  early  as  1828,  to  yield 


HISTOEY   OF   SALISBURY.  283 

every  important  office  and  public  interest  to  the  vil- 
lage influence.  1 

This  difference  of  local  interest  was,  for  a  great 
many  years,  the  chief  cause  of  excitement  in  strug- 
gles for  the  different  town  offices ;  and  the  qualifica- 
tions of  a  candidate  wxre,  by  no  means,  of  a  political 
character,  his  locality  w^as  a  matter  of  primary  con- 
sideration, his  generosity  was  next  thought  of,  and  last 
and  least  his  politics.  Of  late  years  these  prejudices 
have  not  existed  to  so  great  an  extent,  or  perhaps, 
more  properly,  have  been  of  a  different  kind.  The 
locality  and  politics  of  the  candidate  have  not  been 
considered  of  so  much  importance  as  the  general 
character  and  style  of  the  man. 

Of  course,  the  first  politics  found  in  Salisbury,  was 
that  of  the  revolutionary  times,  when  the  two  great 
parties  w^ere  Whigs  and  Tories.  Only  one  tory  was 
known  to  settle  here,  and  he  had  no  great  sympathy 
with  the  party  to  which  he  nominally  belonged. 

The  first  change  of  political  names  was  to  that  of 
Federalist  and  Democrat.  The  former  favored  the 
election  of  John  Adams  to  the  Presidency  of  the 
United  States,  in  1799,  while  the  latter  wished  to 
place  Thomas  Jefferson  in  that  office.  These  parties 
excited  a  good  deal  of  interest  in  this  town,  which 
seemed  to  increase  until  the  battle  of  Plattsburerh, 
when  party  differences  w^ere  lost  sight  of  in  their 
combined  interest  in  their  country's  welfare. 


284  HISTORY   OF   BALISBUEY. 

From  about  1808  to  1813,  these  parties  were  very 
nearly  equally  divided  here,  and  gave  rise  to  some 
exciting  scenes  at  our  elections,  but  since  the  latter 
period,  politics  has  had  comparatively  little  to  do  in 
the  election  of  our  town  officers  or  representatives  to 
the  leo-islature. 

It  is  true,  that  during  the  latter  part  of  Madison's 
administration,  the  whole  of  that  of  Munroe,  and  a 
part  of  that  of  the  younger  Adams,  the  town  experi- 
enced some  seasons  of  more  than  ordinary  enthusi- 
asm in  political  matters,  and  manifested  much  more 
party  zeal  than  has  been  seen  here  for  many  years 
past,  but  they  were,  by  no  means,  equal  to  those 
which  went  before. 

To  follow  the  subsequent  doings  of  the  different 
political  parties,  with  their  changes  of  names,  would 
be  useless,  and  foreign  to  the  object  of  this  chapter, 
.  for  the  town  took  little  interest  in  them  ;  but  about 
1829  a  political  party  arose  in  this  state,  and  soon  in- 
creased to  an  overwhelming  mnjority,  which  styled 
itself  "  anti-masonic,"  in  the  frenzy  of  which  our  peo- 
ple had  some  participation.  For  four  or  five  yeare 
following  1829,  the  masonic  test  was  pretty  thoroughly 
tried  in  our  meetings,  political,  religious  and  social — 
but  not  to  that  extravagant  de^^ree  M'hich  was  seen  in 
some  of  our  neighboring  towns.  Although  many  of 
the  churches  in  the  countrj^  at  that  time  were  nearly 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBUET.  285 

torn  asunder,  and  many  who  were  worthy  members, 
expelled  therefrom  or  ortherwise  severely  dealt  with, 
because  they  were  masons,  yet  nothing  more  was  done 
in  this  tow^n,  than  to  exclude  them  from  the  jury 
boxes,  and  from  all  important  town  offices. 

This  party,  in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  exhausted 
itself  in  its  own  efforts,  and  suffered  suicide  for  want 
of  opposition. 

Since  the  anti-masonic  times,  our  people  have  kept 
an  intelligent  watch  of  the  various  shifts  in  politics, 
and  have  faithfully  told  their  political  sentiments  from 
year  to  year  at  the  ballot-box,  but  have  left  to  others 
to  fight  the  noisy  and  angry  battles. 

At  the  annual  March  meeting  of  1825,  there  was 
an  attempt  made,  both  in  Salisbury  and  Leicester,  to 
unite  and  form  one  town,  and  to  make  Salisbury  vil- 
lage a  common  centre ;  but  the  remembrances  of  the 
old  land  controversy  came  up  so  vividly  in  the  minds 
of  many  of  the  old  settlers,  who  at  that  time  were 
yet  living,  and  the  prejudices  of  the  voters  in  each 
town  were  soon  so  much  excited,  that  the  application 
to  unite  in  one  body,  was  negatived  by  a  strong  vote 
in  both. 

Political  interests  are  temporary,  and  change  with 
the  changing  condition  of  our  country,  but  the  local 
interests  of  this  town  must,  in  great  measure,  ever  re- 
main the  same,  and  always  conflict,  more  or  less,  with 


286  HISTORY   OF   SALISBUEY. 

each  other,  so  long  as  the  boundaries  of  the  town  re- 
main where  they  now  are.  Salisbury  has  had  her 
share,  with  other  towns,  in  ecclesiastical,  political  and 
conventional  difficulties.  In  settling  new  countries 
like  this,  roads  are  laid  out  and  houses  built  which, 
as  the  country  advances  in  improvement,  are  altered 
or  moved  for  public  convenience.  Public  houses  are 
often  erected  at  a  considerable  expense,  which  are 
useful  only  for  a  limited  time,  and  are  afterward  pulled 
down  at  a  loss  to  the  owners.  Public  centres  are  es- 
tablished which  often  prove  to  be  of  only  temporary 
use,  and  are  given  up  or  moved  as  required  by  the 
changing  public  convenience.  All  these  changes  are 
attended  with  their  legitimate  inconveniences  and 
troubles.  Salisbury  has  experienced  them,  and  felt 
the  strifes  and  conflicts  to  which  they  have  given  rise 
among  her  people.  There  was  a  time  when  it  was 
thought  the  location  of  the  Rutland  and  Burlington 
railroad,  which  runs  through  the  western  part  of  the 
town,  would  be  the  cause  of  some  local  jealousies,  but 
it  is  pretty  well  agreed  now  by  those  in  the  east  part 
of  the  town,  that  they  enjoy  most  of  the  practical  ad- 
vantage of  the  railroad,  while  they  avoid  its  incon- 
veniences, and  those  living  nearer  the  railroad  are 
convinced  that  its  inconveniences  are  more  than  com- 
pensated by  their  proximity  to  it — so  all  are,  happily, 
well  satisfied. 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY.  287 

Here  we  will  close  this  sliort  chapter,  and  after- 
ward go  back  and  glean  over  the  field  we  have  passed, 
and  gather  such  good  grain  as  may  have  fallen  by  the 
way.  It  is  pleasant,  at  this  late  day,  to  save  all  we 
can,  when  so  much  that  is  valuable  is  lost  forever. 


288  HISTORY   OF   8ALI8BUEY. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

MEANS  OF  LIVESTG. FURNITURE. — DRESS. SOCIAL  CUS- 
TOMS.— PERSONAL  HABITS. — THE  FIRST  DANCE. — DAVID 
SHELTUS. 

BELiEviNa  that  posterity  should  be  acquainted  with 
the  hardships,  privations  and  sufierings  of  their  an- 
cestry in  settling  a  new  and  forest  country,  and  should 
be  familiar  with  the  examples  of  industry  and  perse- 
verance here  set  before  them,  we  add  another  chapter 
touching  upon  the  circumstances  in  which  the  settle- 
ment of  the  town  was  commenced.  The  early  settlers 
started  from  their  native  state,  usually,  in  companies 
of  two  or  more,  each  being  provided  with  a  knapsack 
of  provisions,  a  gun,  for  the  double  purpose  of  defence 
and  for  securing  game  for  food,  a  camp-kettle,  and 
perhaps  a  few  other  cooking  utensils,  an  axe  and  a 
knife — the  whole  being  swung  across  their  backs  and 
shoulders,  they  commenced  the  journey  of  two  hun- 
dred miles  or  more,  on  foot. 

Much  of  this  tedious  journey  was  performed  through 
a  dense  wilderness,  where  marked  trees  were  their 
only  guide,  with^perhaps  an  occasional  monument  or 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  289 

river  described  in  their  chart.  On  arriving  at  their 
forest-covered  lands,  the  beginning  was,  to  build  a  log 
house,  the  covering  and  floors  of  which  they  made  of 
bark. .  Their  beds  were  of  evergreen  boughs,  laid  in 
one  corner  of  their  scanty  rooms.  Chips  were  their 
plates,  and  the  bark  of  large  trees  furnished  them 
with  tables.* 

Thus  begun  and  furnished,  their  axes  were  indus- 
triously and  dextrously  used  in  clearing  the  land,  to 
prepare  it  for  the  reception  of  the  wheat  (which  they 
carried  a  great  distance  on  their  shoulders),  in  antici- 
pation of  the  crop  of  the  following  year. 

This  being  done,  the  settlers  usually  returned  to 
their  families  to  spend  the  winter,  and  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  winter  or  following  spring,  again  moved 
back  with  their  whole  family,  to  make  a  permanent 


*  As  a  saw-mill  was  erected  at  Sutherland's  falls,  in  Kut- 
land,  about  the  year  1773,  those  living  near  Otter  creek,  in 
Salisburj'-  and  in  other  towns,  could  obtain  boards  (which  were 
floated  down  the  creek),  for  such  purposes  as  making  doors 
and  tables.  The  first  table,  and  the  only  one  used  in  the  fam- 
ily of  Holland  AVeeks  for  several  years  after  his  settlement  in 
Salisbury,  was  made  of  the  crotch  of  a  tree,  hewed  tolerably 
smooth  on  one  side,  and  rough  sticks,  for  legs,  inserted  on  the 
other,  while  two  wide  boards  were  nailed  across  the  top,  to 
complete  the  whole. 
24 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY. 

settlement.  Some  brought  beds  and  bedsteads  with 
them,  others  made  use  of  the  plant  commonly  called 
cat-tail  for  bedding,  but  bedsteads  were  oftenest  made 
by  boring  holes  into  four  upright  posts  and  inserting 
sharpened  rails,  the  whole  being  bound  together  with 
bark  twisted  into  a  rope.  Hops  were  also  sometimes 
used  for  beds,  and  were  considered  very  healthful. 

Previous  to  the  erection  of  mills,  the  settlers  made 
their  flour  by  pounding  and  sifting  their  grain.  "This 
in  some  instances  was  done  by  burning  out  the  top  of 
a  large  stump  for  a  mortar,  and  by  hanging  a  huge 
pestle  at  the  smaller  and  elevated  end  of  a  long,  stout, 
elastic  pole,  like  a  well  sweep.  This  pole,  resting  in 
the  centre  in  the  crotch  of  a  tree,  or  something  of  that 
character,  and  fastened  down  at  its  lower  end,  would, 
by  its  elastic  power,  raise  the  pestle.  The  chief  busi- 
ness of  the  operator  was  to  apply  a  force  that  would 
bring  down  the  pestle  eflSciently  upon  the  grain." 

Many  of  the  oldest  inhabitants  will  remember 
Graves'  pestle.  It  was  a  bombshell  that  had  been 
picked  up  during  the  war. 

Household  furniture  was  usually  of  the  coarsest 
kind,  though  in  some  instances,  chairs,  eases  of  draw- 
ers, tables  and  table  furniture,  were  brought  with  the 
emigrants,  but  nearly  every  family,  even  if  they  had 
a  few  chairs,  used  benches  made  of  slabs.  Some 
brought  pewter  platters,  plates,  basins,  cups  and  spoons 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  291 

witli  them/while  others  used  wooden  trenchers,  trays, 
and  even  wooden  spoons. 

Trays  of  all  sizes,  varying  in  capacity  from  a  pint 
to  several  gallons,  were  in  use,  and  were  generally 
made  of  poplar.  We  have  often  been  both  a  witness 
and  a  participator  in  the  custom  of  setting  the  large 
six-quart  dish  in  the  centre  of  the  table,  while  half  a 
dozen  or  more  children  stood  around  it,  each  with  a 
spoon,  partaking  of  his  homely  but  healthful  repast 
of  samp  and  milk. 

Poplar  trays  were  the  only  vessels  used  for  "  set- 
ting" milk  in  this  town,  for  many  years  after  the 
settlement  commenced,  and  when  made  with  skill 
and  finish,  as  they  usually  were,  and  kept  clean,  they 
were  an  ornament  to  the  kitchen  and  milkroom. 

The  good  housewives  and  daughters,  took  great 
pride  in  the  care  of  their  wooden  and  pewter  ware, 
and  in  the  general  order  of  the  house.  The  clean, 
whitened  floor,  the  cot  in  one  corner,  and  the  dresser 
in  another;  the  open  cupboard  on  which  were  dis- 
played the  shining  pewter,  and  the  poplar  dishes  of 
ivory  whiteness,  all  arranged  upon  their  edges,  to  rep- 
resent the  phases  of  the  moon ;  the  spinning-wheel, 
the  loom,  and  the  Bible  lying  upon  the  shelf  by  the 
window-^all  these -bespoke  the  industry  and  domestic 
care  of  the  mother,  and  formed  a  suggestive  picture 
of  the  happy  simplicity  of  the  times. 


HISTORY    OF    8ALI8BIJET. 

The  first  improvement  in  making  tables,  was  made 
about  the  year  1790,  when  they  commenced  turning 
them  of  black  cherry.  Table  legs  were  turned  by 
means  of  a  spring-pole,  similar  to  the  one  already 
described  for  pounding  grain,  though  much  smaller. 
To  the  end  of  this  pole  was  attached  a  strong  line  or 
cord  (usually  of  raw  hide),  which  passed  down  around 
the  stick  of  timber  to  be  turned,  and  thence  down  to 
a  treddle  below,  so  that  the  operator,  by  the  pressure 
of  his  foot,  could  give  the  stick  a  rotary  motion,  which 
would  be  reversed  by  the  elasticity  of  the  pole,  when 
the  pressure  of  the  foot  was  removed,  thus  leaving 
the  stick  ready  for  another  chip  of  the  chisel.  Posts 
and  rounds  for  making  chairs,  and  even  bed-posts, 
were  turned  in  lathes  of  this  kind  as  late  as  1808. 

The  settlers  exercised  much  ingenuity  in  making 
furniture,  tools,  and  the  various  articles  of  household 
convenience.  They  illustrated  the  truth  of  the  max- 
im, that  "necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention." 
Col.  Sawyer's  family  did  all  their  baking,  for  more 
than  a  year,  in  an  oven  built  upon  a  stump.  The 
foundation  of  the  oven  was  a  large,  flat  stone,  well 
embedded  in  mortar,  made  of  clay  and  sand,  spread 
upon  the  top  of  the  stump.  Its  upper  part  was  made 
of  the  same  kind  of  mortar,  fashioned  in  the  proper 
shape  and  size,  over  a  mound  of  chips  laid  upon  the 
stone.     The  whole  being  thoroughly  dried,  and  the 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  293 

chips  afterward  burnt  out,  left  a  very  convenieiit  and 
comely  oven.  Cooking-stoves  were  first  introduced 
in  1818,  and  sixty  dollars  each  was  paid  for  the  two 
first  stoves  of  this  character,  exclusive  of  pipe. 

Horses,  cattle,  and  sheep,  were  allowed  to  run  at 
large  in  the  woods,  and  all  soon  learned  to  come  home 
at  night,  where,  near  the  dwellings  of  their  owners, 
they  might  be  protected  from  tlie  attacks  of  wild 
beasts.  The  horse  wore  a  bell,  as  did  also  the  lead- 
ing cow  and  the  old  ewe,  each  bell  having  a  difi'erent 
tone  to  indicate  the  whereabouts  of  the  difi'erent  ani- 
mals. 

Most  of  the  early  settlers  had  a  strong  belief  in  the 
moon's  influence  on  vegetation,  and  were  governed 
by  her  phases  in  all  their  farming  movements.  The 
moon  determined  the  time  of  butchering  cattle  and 
hogs,  of  cutting  timber,  pruning  trees,  sowing  seed, 
and  performed  other  important  ofi&ces.  Flaxseed,  by 
their  rule,  must  needs  be  sown  when  the  moon  was  in 
the  wane,  and,  if  possible,  at  the  time  it  was  nearest 
the  shape  of  a  flaxseed ;  and  if  sowing  could  not  be 
accomplished  in  April,  a  delay  of  the  full  term  of  four 
weeks,  until  the  decline  of  the  moon  of  May,  neces- 
sarily took  place. 

Calves  were  weaned  according  to  the  lunar  rule, 
otherwise  it  was  supposed  both  they  and  the  cows 
would  nearly  kill  themselves  in  lowing.     All  animals 

24* 


S94 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY. 


designed  for  the  meat-barrel  were  butchered  during 
the  increase  of  the  moon,  otherwise  the  meat  would 
surely  "  shrink  in  the  pot."  Sornepretended  to  deter- 
mine, by  their  lunar  science,  their  future  prosperity  or 
misfortunes,  and  taught  their  children  many  foolish  su- 
perstitions in  connection  with  it. 

But  the  great  intellectual  improvements  of  the  last 
half  century  have  taught  the  farmer  to  prepare  his 
land  in  the  best  season,  and  to  sow  his  seed  when  his 
land  was  best  prepared  to  receive  it,  to  butcher  his 
meat  when  in  a  proper  condition,  and  to  learn  from 
the  moon  the  lessons  she  was  designed  to  teach,  rather 
than  make  her  the  means  of  inculcating  pernicious 
and  superstitious  notions,  to  which  the  mind  of  those 
days  was  especially  inclined. 

•*  Although  most  of  those  notions  have  been  forgotten 
or  are  preserved  only  as  curiosities  of  the  past,  yet 
few  who  were  born  and  received  their  first  impres- 
sions before  tlie  commencement  of  the  present  cen- 
tury, can  entirely  rid  themselves  of  them,  or  at  least 
will  stop  before  the  new  moon  and  ask  themselves 
over  which  shoulder  they  saw  it  first. 

All  the  clothes  for  men,  women  and  children,  were 
manufactured  in  their  own  houses.  Flannels  were 
often  colored  in  a  decoction  of  the  butternut  bark,  and 
of  that  of  other  trees  by  way  of  variety,  but  dyeing 
wns  mainly  confined  to  indigo  blue.     The  blue-dye 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  295 

tub  stood  in  every  one's  chimney  corner,  and  was 
always  some  one's  favorite  seat.  Home-made  linen 
called  linseywoolsey  was  worn  by  females  in  warm 
weather.  The  women  wore  petticoats  and  short 
gowns  (we  use  the  names  of  their  own  time,)  and  high- 
heeled  shoes. 

Young  men  and  boys  wore  flannel  and  tow  frocks 
and  trowsers,  and  checkered  shirts.  The  boys  and  a 
great  many  of  the  men  went  barefooted  during  the 
summer  season,  and  usually  boys  went  without  hats 
during  the  warm  weatlier,  until  they  were  ten  or 
twelve  years  old;  and  even  then,  one  hat  often  suf- 
ficed for  two  boys,  the  one  wearing  it  until  he  lost  it, 
and  it  was  found  by  the  other,  who  wore  it  in  turn, 
until  it  was  lost  again. 

The  settlers,  both  men  and  women,  allowed  their 
hair  to  grow  to  quite  an  extravagant  length,  and  to 
hang  down  their  backs  in  a  queue,  braided  and  firmly 
wound  with  black  silk  ribbon.  Those  who  had  but 
little  hair,  added  an  artificial  queue  to  supply  the  de- 
ficiency, and  on  many  public  occasions  the  men  were 
seen  with  heads  quite  white  with  the  powdering  of 
wheat  flour. 

The  old  Connecticut  fashions  of  dress  were  sus- 
tained in  Salisbury  for  a  long  time,  probably  longer 
than  in  the  state  from  which  they  were  brought. 
The  men  wore  short  breeches,  long  stockings,  garters, 


296  HISTORY    OF   SALISBUBY. 

and  shoe  and  knee  buckles.  Cocked  hats  were  worn 
by  all  Congregational  ministers  as  late  as  1798 ;  in- 
deed they  were  sometimes  seen,  together  with  the 
powdered  wig,  as  late  as  1813. 

In  1798  a  cloth-dresser  established  his  business  in 
town,  after  which  the  females  began  to  appear,  on 
public  occasions  in  clothes  more  nicely  colored  and 
dressed,  and  men  to  wear  fulled  cloth,  so  far  as  each 
could  afford  the  expense  of  falling  and  dressing. 

The  dresses  of  the  settlers  would  be  a  great  curi- 
osity to  the  present  generation — quilted  petticoats, 
short  gowns,  high -heeled  shoes,  scarlet  cloaks,  quilted 
hoods,  muffs  nearly  as  large  as  a  barrel,  tippets  which 
passing  around  the  neck,  crossed  the  breast  and  tied 
behind — and  all  manufactured  of  home-made  cloth 
from  native  sheep,  or  of  furs  home-caught  and  home- 
dressed.  There  was  great  emulation  among  the  fe- 
males to  outdo  their  neighbors  in  carding,  spinning 
and  weaving.  To  be  able  to  work  well  was  fashiona- 
ble, then.  A  sufficient  quantity  of  wool  and  flax  was 
usually  raised  to  afford  constant  employment  at  the 
distaff,  wheel  and  loom. 

A  great  profit  was  annually  realized  from  the  fe- 
male labor,  for  by  it  not  only  were  their  own  families 
clothed,  but  the  surplus  cloths  always  found  a  ready 
Bale.  So  much  dependence  was  placed  upon  female 
industry,  that  the  prosperity  of  each  family  was  in 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  297 

great  measure  estimated  by  the  quantity  and  quality 
of  their  domestic  manufactured  cloths. 

As  the  settlement  of  the  country  advanced,  new  in- 
ventions sprang  into  existence.  One  of  the  first  of 
these,  of  great  use  in  domestic  life,  was  the  wool- 
carding  machine.  Artemas  Nixon  brought  one  of 
these  machines  into  Middlebury,  in  1807,  and  carded 
wool  for  eight  cents  per  pound.  This  was  considered 
a  great  curiosity,  as  well  as  a  valuable  invention  ;  and 
nearly  every  one  went  to  see  it,  and  give  it  more  or 
less  patronage.  This  caused  some  dissatisfaction 
among  some  of  the  older  people  (as  inventions  always 
do),  who  gave  expression  to  fears  that  if  the  hand- 
cards  were  laid  aside,  female  industry  would  decline, 
and  many  imaginary  disasters  follow.  But  indolence 
has  never  been  a  characteristic  of  New  England  wo- 
men ;  and  though  one  invention  has  followed  another 
in  rapid  succession,  to  relieve  them  in  their  various 
toils,  no  material  change  can  be  noticed  in  their  hab- 
its of  industry.  The  time  they  were  once  compelled 
to  devote  to  hard  and  slavish  manual  labor,  is  now 
directed  to  the  higher  calling  of  self-culture  and  in- 
struction of  the  youth,  cultivating  in  themselves  and 
others  those  better  tastes  and  thoughts  which  mark 
the  state  of  a  higher  civilization. 

The  first  great  gathering  of  young  people  for  a 
dance  or  ball  in  Salisbury,  was  on  the  occasion  of  the 


298  HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY. 

marriage  of  Henry  Kelar  and  Patty  Story,  October 
9th,  1794.  It  took  place  at  the  liouse  of  Holland 
Weeks,  this  being  the  only  house  in  town  of  suitable 
dimensions  to  accommodate  so  large  a  party.  Invita- 
tions were  sent  to  Brandon,  Middlebury  and  Cornwall, 
to  make  up  the  company,  which  numbered  about  fifty. 
Society  at  that  time  had  not  the  exclusiveness  of  the 
present  day ;  the  country  w^as  so  sparsely  settled,  and 
all  families  were  so  dependent  on  each  other,  that 
none  were  rejected,  unless  notoriously  bad. 

Dancing  was  an  amusement  to  which  most  of  the 
people  gave  their  approval,  and  was  considered  equal, 
if  not  superior  to  any  other  amusement  for  the  refine- 
ment of  the  manners  of  the  youth. 

But  they  had  many  other  recreations,  which  they 
entered  into  with  great  zeal,  especially  those  of  an 
active  kind  and  requiring  muscular  strength  in  their 
participation.  On  occasions  of  public  gathei'ings,  ex- 
cept Sundays,  after  the  business  of  the  day  w^as  done, 
the  men  and  boys  indulged  in  sports  and  games.  The 
game  of  ball,  wrestling  and  jumping,  were  very  popu- 
lar sources  of  amusement. 

The  leading  men  of  the  town  did  not  hesitate  to  en- 
ter the  wrestling  ring  and  show  their  strength  and 
skill  in  the  presence  of  the  crowd  wlio  stood  about 
them. 

Many  excelled  in  feats  of  strength  of  which  many 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBUKY.  299 

instances  might  be  given,  but  time  and  space  will 
hardly  allow  them  to  be  inserted  in  this  work. 

These  games  and  sports  were  always  conducted  in 
the  utmost  good-humor,  until  the  advent,  about  the 
year  1800,  of  two  or  three  very  quarrelsome  men. 
To  be  defeated  in  any  of  these  amusements  was  to 
them  a  cause  of  war.  To  fight  was  their  sport.  It 
was  their  custom  to  create  disorder  on  every  public 
occasion,  and  even  the  civil  authority  failed  to  re- 
strain them.  But  there  happened  to  be  a  man  in 
town  named  David  Sheltus,  who  effected  for  these 
men  what  the  law  and  moral  suasion  had  failed  to  do, 
and  his  name  should  be  chronicled  as  one  of  our 
most  useful  citizens.  Although  he  was  a  coarse, 
homespun,  full  blooded  Dutchman,  he  was  a  peace- 
maker. 

Being  a  man  of  large  stature  and  prodigious 
strength,  he  concluded,  with  the  assent  of  the  civil 
authority,  to  take  the  responsibility  of  preserving 
peace  on  public  occasions,  npon  his  own  shoulders. 

He  soon  had  an  opportunity  to  administer  his  first 
lesson,  for  on  the  next  public  day  he  found  one  of 
these  men  commencing  a  "  free  fight "  in  a  tavern  in 
the  village.  Sheltns,  without  any  apparent  excite- 
ment, walked  up  to  the  offender,  and  taking  him  by 
the  collar  with  one  hand,  and  by  that  part  of  his 
troweers  called  the  seat,  with  the  other,  threw  him 


300  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

lieadlong  through  the  bar-room  door,  several  feet 
into  the  street,  and  at  the  same  time  publicly  de- 
clared that,  there  should  be  no  more  quarreling  or 
fighting  in  this  town  as  long  as  he  lived  in  it. 

This  precedent  was  of  great  use  in  preserving 
order  for  a  long  time,  for  at  the  approach  of  every 
public  day,  the  civil  authority  would  give  Sheltus 
notice  (for  he  lived  in  a  retired  place)  so  that  he  was 
always  in  attendance,  and  his  presence  alone  com- 
manded perfect  obedience  and  good  order.  So 
closely  did  he  watch  these  men  that  they  concluded 
that  Salisbury  was  not  tlie  best  field  for  the  exercise  of 
their  peculiar  talent,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  years, 
all  left  town  for  parts  unknown. 


HTSTOKY    OF   SALISBURY.  301 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

WILD  ANIMALS. WALK   WITH   THE  WOLVES. ENCOUNTER 

WITH     A     PANTHER. — AMOS     AND     THE     BEAR. FIGHT 

WITH   THE   INDIANS. MILITARY   MATTERS. 

At  the  the  time  the  settlement  of  Salisbury  began, 
wolves  were  very  numerous  throughout  all  these  re- 
gions, and  were  a  great  terror  both  to  the  traveler  and 
to  the  inhabitants.  They  have  been  known  to  follow 
a  traveler,  in  companies  of  a  dozen  or  more,  for  a 
whole  day,  in  order  to  attack  liim  by  night.  It  was 
supposed  by  some,  that  they  had  acquired  a  relish  for 
human  blood  during  the  war  between  the  French  and 
English,  which  had  closed  but  a  short  time  before ; 
but  undoubtedly  this  appetite  is  natural ;  and  the  in- 
conveniences which  the  settlers  suffered  from  it  were 
in  no  way  enhanced  by  a  previous  gratification  of  it. 

These  beasts,  without  doubt,  did  more  injury  in  the 
destruction  of  domestic  animals,  than  all  other  wild 
beasts  together.  With  the  exception  of  an  occasional 
loss  by  the  bear,  the  wolverine,  the  lynx  and  the 
wild  cat,  the  great  numbers  of  sheep,  and  other  small 

25 


303  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

domestic  animals  which  were  lost,  were  taken  by  the 
wolves. 

Those  of  the  settlers  who  kept  any  small  animals, 
kept  them  in  yards,  at  night,  which  were  generally 
very  near,  and  often  adjoining  their  houses,  and  were 
enclosed  by  a  very  high  and  close  fence.  Sheep, 
hogs,  and  calves,  were  always  kept  in  yards,  at  night. 

Captain  Stephen  Goodrich,  one  of  the  first  settlers 
in  Middlebnry,  when  an  officer  in  the  American  rev- 
olution, had  occasion  to  travel  through  this  part  of  the 
country,  on  foot  of  coui'se,  unaccompanied,  except  by 
his  little  dog.  At  that  time,  most  of  the  settlers  had 
been  driven  away  by  the  Indians,  and  their  houses 
burnt  down,  which  rendered  it  difficult  to  find  places 
of  protection  for  the  night. 

Mr.  Goodrich  having  no  guide  except  marked  trees, 
his  progress  was  necessarily  slow  ;  and  in  one  in- 
stance he  found  himself  overtaken  by  night,  far  from 
the  place  of  any  settlement.  Soon  after  sundown,  he 
heard  the  howl  of  a  wolf,  which  was  following  upon 
his  track.  This  howl  was  soon  answered  by  an- 
other, in  a  different  direction,  and  this  again  by  an- 
other, until  five  were  known  to  be  joined  in  the 
pursuit. 

Mr.  Goodrich  hastened  on  as  fast  as  possible,  with 
some  hope  of  escaping  an  attack  by  reaching  some 
house  before  dark  ;  but  he  was  so  delayed  by  the  ob- 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  303 

scurity  of  the  way,  and  by  his  little  dog,  which, 
through  fear,  kept  so  close  to  his  master  as  to  inter- 
fere with  his  footsteps,  that  darkness  came  on  while 
he  was  yet  in  the  woods,  and  quite  a  great  distance 
from  any  settlement.  In  the  meantime  the  wolves, 
thirsting  and  yelping  for  his  blood,  had  arrived  with- 
in a  few  dozen  yards  distant,  in  the  rear,  when  it  was 
found  necessary  to  use  every  means  to  keep  them  at 
bay.  In  the  first  instance  he  fired  at  them,  knowing 
nothing  of  the  execution  of  his  shot,  it  being  so  dark  ; 
and  although  the  discharge  of  his  gun  seemed  to 
frighten,  and  scatter  them  for  a  time,  they  soon  organ- 
ized and  followed  on  as  before.  Not  liaving  time  to 
reload  his  gun,  and  not  daring  to  turn  and  face  the  en- 
emy, Mr.  Goodricli  next  tried  the  experiment  of  flash- 
ing powder  in  the  pan  of  his  gun,  whenever  the 
wolves  approached  him,  which  he  found  to  be  a  very 
successful  experiment ;  for  the  wolf  is  frightened  at  a 
sudden  and  bright  light.  By  a  repetition  of  this,  he 
at  last  reached  the  place  of  his  destination,  after 
spending  several  hours  in  the  greatest  anxiety  and 
fear. 

The  panther,  though  seldom  seen,  was  considered 
the  most  dangerous  animal  that  infested  this  coun- 
try. Two,  only,  have  been  met  in  this  town,  which 
were  known  of  a  certainty  to  be  panthers.  One  of 
these  was  found  by  Mr.  Samuel  Hoi  man  and  two 


304  HISTORY    OF    8ALISBUEY. 

companioRS,  about  1785,  when  on  an  excursion  among 
the  hills  east  of  Lake  Dunmore.  These  men  discov- 
ered this  panther  lying  upon  a  flat  rock  on  the  side 
of  the  mountain,  apparently  asleep,  and,  very  natu- 
rally, undertook  to  wake  him  by  a  volley  of  bullets 
from  their  guns.  After  firing  several  charges  with- 
out any  effect,  they  approached  the  spot  where  the 
animal  lay,  and  found  tliat  he  had  been  killed  in  a 
conflict  with  some  other  animal — probably  by  one  of 
his  own  species. 

The  other  panther  was  seen  by  the  writer  in  Dec- 
ember, 1809.  The  circumstances  were  as  follows : 
At  a  barn  standing  in  the  meadow  some  distance  from 
our  house,  was  kept  our  young  stock  and  a  breeding 
mare.  Wishing  to  go  away  from  home  one  evening, 
1  concluded  to  ride,  and  started  to  catch  this  horse, 
but  finding  the  night  very  dark,  I  returned  and  took 
a  lantern.  "When  about  equi-distant  from  the  house 
and  barn,  I  met  about  half  of  the  young  cattle  on  a 
rapid  walk,  as  if  they  had  just  stopped  running,  and 
a  little  farther  on,  I  observed  that  a  yearling  had  hid 
liimself  behind  a  log  heap  in  a  thicket  of  flags.  The 
horse  not  being  with  them  I  went  on  to  the  barn-yard, 
and  found  that  the  remainder  of  the  cattle  had  passed 
out  in  the  opposite  direction.  I  then  commenced  cal- 
ling them,  when  suddenly  my  attention  was  arrested 
by  some  animal  about  midway  in  the  eastern  part  of 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  S05 

the  yard.  Turning  my  light  in  the  direction  of  the 
noise,  supposing  it  was  made  by  the  horse,  I  moved 
that  way,  expecting  to  take  her  by  the  foretop,  and 
did  not  discover  my  mistake  and  the  danger  I  was  in, 
until  within  the  distance  of  a  single  leap  of  a  full- 
grown  panther.  1  suddenly  stopped,  and  we  stood 
looking  at  each  other  as  if  neither  knew  what  to  do; 
his  head  being  turned  to  the  left  in  looking  at  me,  his 
body  extended  obliquely  to  my  right,  which  gave  me 
a  good  view  of  his  entire  length  and  side.  His  body 
was  long,  and  seemed  to  be  of  the  greatest  muscular 
make;  his  head  was  small  in  proportion  to  the  size  of 
his  body,  and  was  shaped  much  like  that  of  a  cat ;  his 
hair  was  brown,  and  of  that  lively  character  which 
indicates  health  and  vigor ;  and  his  eyes  exceedingly 
bold  and  fierce. 

I  observed  that  his  attention  was  chiefly  directed 
to  the  light  in  my  hand,  which  led  me  to  believe  that 
it  was  a  better  protection  than  any  fire-arms  could 
have  been.  Although  he  had  stood  perfectly  still  for 
a  half  of  a  minute  or  more,  I  had  not  yet  determined 
what  to  do,  but  was  soon  urged  to  a  decision  by  the 
restlessness  of  one  of  his  hind  feet,  which  seemed  to 
be  an  indication  that  if  I  remained  in  the  position  I 
then  occupied  miich  longer,  he  would  make  me  his 
prey,  and,  believing  discretion  to  be  the  better  part 
of  valor,  I  raised  the  light  to  my  breast  to  give  him  a 

25* 


306  HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY. 

more  distinct  view,  and  slowly  retreated  backward 
into  the  barn  live  or  six  rods  distant.  After  remain- 
ing in  the  barn  a  few  minutes,  I  ventured  out  and 
found  the  panther  gone.  Undoubtedly  the  clear  light 
of  my  lantern  had  a  charming  effect  upon  him,  and 
thus  w^as  the  means  of  saving  my  life. 

The  wild  animals  that  gave  the  settlers  so  much 
trouble  by  their  nightly  depredations,  retired  for  the 
most  part,  to  the  mountains  and  hills  at  quite  an  early 
period,  though  bears  have  occasionally  been  found 
on  the  plains  near  the  base  of  the  mountains  even 
within  the  past  few  years,  and  wolves  made  their  pre- 
datory excursions  among  the  flocks  of  the  farmers 
near  the  mountains  as  late  as  1832. 

It  was  the  custom  among  the  people  when  they 
went  upon  the  mountains  and  hills,  or  any  great  dis- 
tance from  home,  to  take  with  them  a  gun  and  a  dog 
(and  most  every  family  had  one  or  more),  to  make 
game  of  any  wild  animal  they  might  chance  to  meet. 

One  day  in  the  year  1800,  Amos  Goodrich  and 
Eleazer  Sage  concluded  to  make  a  short  excursion  to 
the  mountains,  to  enjoy  whatever  of  sport  or  incident 
might  be  thrown  in  their  way.  Amos  took  his  little 
dog  Trip  with  him,  while  Eleazer  carried  the  gun. 
When  about  half  way  up  the  slope  of  the  mountain, 
Trip  started  a  bear,  and  although  he  was  a  very  small 
dog,  ho  had  no  little  confidence  in  his  own  abilities. 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  30T 

and  gave  chase  for  the  bear,  which  he  soon  overtook 
and  bravely  seized  by  the  gambrel  joint.  Although 
small  and  light,  he  was  so  active  that  he  greatly  an- 
noyed and  impeded  the  progress  of  the  bear,  and 
finally  rendered  himself  so  ngly  an  incumbrance  that 
Bruin  turned  about  and  gave  one  heavy  blow,  which 
if  [it  had  hit  its  intended  object,  would  have  knocked 
him  far  down  the  mountain  ;  but  Trip,  with  unerring 
instinct,  dodged  the  blow,  and  as  soon  as  the  bear 
started  on  again,  resumed  his  original  hold.  Still 
pursued  and  vexed.  Bruin  sought  to  rid  himself  of  his 
unpleasant  annoyer  by  climbing  a  tree,  but  Trip,  no- 
ticing the  change  of  course,  and  like  his  master,  being 
always  ready,  suddenly  changed  his  hold  from  the 
gambril  joint  to  tlie  fleshy  part  of  the  leg,  into  which 
he  firmly  imbedded  his  little  teeth  ;  and  as  the  bear 
slowly  moved  himself  up  (he  went  up  about  fifteen 
feet),  Trip  went  up  too,  pulling  and  twitching  with 
all  of  his  might  in  an  opposite  direction.  In  the 
meantime,  Amos  having  some  solicitude  for  his  little 
dog,  and  being  anxious  himself  to  engage  in  the  sport, 
hastened  on  as  fast  as  possible,  and  arrived  at  the  foot 
of  the  tree  just  in  time  to  catch  his  dog,  which  had 
fallen  in  letting  go  to  take  a  new  hold. 

The  bear,  still  more  uneasy  on  account  of  Amos* 
presence,  began  a  slow  retrograde  movement  down 
the   tree.     Now  Eleazer  was   some  distance  in   the 


308  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

rear,  and  Amos  commenced  shouting  to  him  to  come 
on  quickly  with  the  gun,  which  was  loaded  with 
powder  and  ball ;  but  the  bear  quickened  his  move- 
ment in  advance  of  Eleazer's  arrival,  and  when  with- 
in six  or  eight  feet  of  the  ground,  dropped  down  at 
the  foot  of  the  tree. 

Amos  being  a  man  of  great  physical  strength,  es- 
pecially in  his  hands  and  arms,  and  being  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  manner  of  battle  with  bears,  had 
determined  before  the  bear  reached  the  ground,  to 
make  an  attack  in  person,  and  at  least  hold  the  ani- 
mal until  Eleazer  should  come  up  with  the  gun  ;  so 
the  instant  the  bear  dropped  to  the  ground,  Amos 
caught  him  by  the  neck,  while  Trip,  with  character- 
istic dexterity  and  energy,  resumed  his  favorite  hold 
behind.  This  double  attack  greatly  enraged  the  bear, 
and  he  opened  his  huge  jaws,  as  if  to  bite  off  those 
lusty  arms  which  held  him  so  closely  ;  but  Amos  well 
understanding  his  part  in  the  battle,  thrust  his  hand 
into  the  animal's  mouth  and  firmly  grasped  the  roots 
of  his  tongue.  At  this  time  Eleazer  had  approached 
to  within  a  little  distance  from  the  scene  of  conflict, 
but  dared  not  come  any  nearer. 

Now,  Amos,  from  his  boyhood,  had  a  curious  man- 
ner of  speaking ;  with  no  particular  impediment  in 
his  speech,  yet  often,  and  especially  when  excited,  he 
could  not  give  utterance  to  the  words  he  wished, 


HISTOJKY   OF   SALISBURY.  309 

without  using  some  preliminary  and  unmeaning  ex- 
pression. This  was  the  case  in  liis  present  embarras- 
sing position,  when,  excited  at  his  companion's  fears, 
he  cried  out,  "  Now  you  see,  Eleazer,  shoot  himy 
But  Eleazer  fearing  he  might  hit  his  friend  instead  of 
the  bear,  did  not  shoot,  which  greatly  aggravated 
Amos,  who  again  cried  out,  with  great  spirit   and 

veliemence,  "  Now  you  see,  d it,  Eleazer,  shoot 

the  hearP  But  Eleazer  still  refused  to  shoot,  and 
begged  Amos  to  let  the  bear  go. 

Not  many  steps  distant,  Amos  discovered  a  stone 
upon  the  surface  of  the  ground,  with  wliicli,  if  it  could 
be  obtained,  he  thought  he  could  kill  the  bear  alone. 
This  stone  he  importuned  Eleazer  to  bring  to  him, 
but  Eleazer,  out  of  personal  considerations,  refused, 
and  still  begged  him  to  let  the  bear  go.  Finally  he 
undertook  to  move  the  animal  in  the  direction  of  the 
stone,  and  after  much  labor,  he  pulling  at  one  end 
and  Trip  at  the  other,  succeeded  in  reaching  it ;  but 
here  a  great  difficulty  presented  itself  in  the  want  of 
a  third  hand  to  manage  the  stone,  for  it  required  the 
strength  of  both  arms  to  liold  the  animal,  and  already 
the  muscles  of  one  hand  and  arm  were  much  weaken- 
ed by  long  exertion ;  but  as  there  was  but  one  way 
of  securing  the  pri^e  and  saving  his  own  life,  Amos  de- 
termined to  make  one  vigorous  and  final  effort,  when, 
loosening  one  hand,  he  instantly  grasped  the  stone, 


310  HISTOEY   OF   SALISBURY. 

while,  with  Trip's  help,  he  held  his  victim  with  the 
other,  and  with  such  a  force  as  his  arm  alone  could 
give,  brought  down  upon  the  head  of  the  bear,  a 
blow  that  produced  immediate  death. 

The  following  sketch,  in  substance,  is  furnished  by 
Mr.  Whitfield  Walker,  of  Whiting,  Yt.,  and  tells 
something  of  the  character  of  Col.  Thomas  Sawyer,  as 
a  military  man,  and  illustrates  Yermont  life  in  1778 : 

Soon  after  Col.  Thomas  Sawyer  moved  to  Claren- 
don, he  was  elected  captain  of  what  was  called 
"  minute  men,"  and  in  1778,  the  frontier  inhabitants 
being  threatened  with  danger  from  Canada,  he  left 
his  family  and  hastened  to  the  post  of  danger.  Lieut. 
Barnum,  Corporal  Williams,  and  fourteen  soldiers, 
accompanied  him,  and  their  place  of  destination  was 
Shelburn,  Yt.  They  were  all  on  foot  except  Mr. 
Sawyer,  who  rode  a  very  fine  stallion  which  he 
brought  with  him  from  Massachusetts.  It  was  in  the 
month  of  January,  and  the  weather  was  very  cold  ; 
the  snow  was  deep,  and  the  distance  they  had  to 
travel  was  about  seventy  miles,  in  the  wilderness  all 
the- way,  seldom  traversed  except  by  wild  beasts  and 
Indians. 

When  within  about  ten  miles  of  their  destination, 
the  men  were  exhausted  with  fatigue  and  want  of 
food,  and  by  their  drowsiness  and  desire  to  stop  and 
rest,  plainly  indicated  that  they  were  about  to  resign 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  311 

themselves  to  certain  deatli  by  freezing.  Mr.  Sawyer 
remonstrated  and  told  them  that  if  they  would  go  on 
to  a  certain  point,  he  would  ride  on  before  them  and 
prepare  food  for  them.  In  the  course  of  a  few  miles, 
he  reached  a  shanty  in  which  shingles  had  been 
sawed,  and  waited  for  his  men,  who,  when  they  arri- 
ved and  found  that  they  had  been  deceived,  and  that 
no  food  was  in  readiness  for  them,  were  so  much  ex- 
asperated, that  it  gave  them  new  warmth  and  energy, 
which  enabled  them  to  reach  the  place  of  their  desti- 
nation in  safety.  At  Shelburn,  resided  a  man  named 
Parsons,  from  New  Jersey,  whose  hospitality  they 
shared,  and  under  whose  roof  they  found  shelter. 
The  few  families  of  the  neighborhood  were  anxiously 
waiting  for  their  arrival,  for  they  had  seen  indica- 
tions of  danger,  which  they  felt  unable  to  meet  single 
handed.  Here  Col.  Sawyer  and  his  command  re- 
mained seven  or  eight  weeks,  watching  the  enemy 
and  putting  the  settlement  in  a  better  state  of  de- 
fence. Indeed  they  had  fears  of  the  presence  of  an 
enemy  among  themselves  in  the  persons  of  tories, 
who  always  were  more  to  be  feared  than  the  open 
enemy. 

The  suspected  foe  was  closely  watched  for  many 
weeks,  until  some  time  in  the  early  part  of  March, 
when  it  was  discovered  that  they  had  suddenly  left. 
Mr.  Sawyer  was  not  slow  in  accounting  for  this  ab- 


312  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

sence,  and  surmised  tliat  one  Pliilo,  a  reputed  tory, 
who  had  gone  to  Canada  on  skates,  was  about  to 
head  an  expedition  against  this  place.  Accordingly 
all  were  immediately  set  at  work  barricading  their 
house,  and  when  night  came  on,  had  made  all  parts 
secure,  with  the  exception  of  one  window.  The  at- 
tack was  made  that  night,  and  through  that  window 
two  men  who  had  stopped  and  put  up  for  the  night, 
sharing  the  homely  hospitality  of  the  place,  were 
killed  at  the  first  fire  of  the  enemy.  One  of  these 
men  was  named  Woodward,  the  other  Daniels,  the 
father  of  Dan  Daniels  of  Leicester. 

As  was  suspected,  Philo  had  been  to  Montreal  and 
returned  with  about  forty  Indians,  who,  after  the  first 
attack,  in  which  the  two  men  were  killed,  were  met 
by  an  incessant  fire  from  the  inmates  of  the  house  for 
three-fourths  of  an  hour,  through  port-holes  made  for 
that  purpose.  During  that  time  the  Indians  twice 
fired  the  house,  and  Colonel  Sawyer  ofi'ered  his  watch 
as  a  reward  to  any  one  who  would  extinguish  the 
flames.  There  was  no  water  in  the  house,  but  Mrs. 
Parsons  had  been  brewing  beer  that  day,  and  Joseph 
Williams  entering  the  chamber  and  breaking  a  hole 
through  the  roof,  successfully  extinguished  the  flames 
with  the  contents  of  the  beer  barrel,  under  a  deadly 
fire  from  the  savages  without.  Colonel  Sawyer  faith- 
fully kept  his  word  and  gave  Williams  his  watch.   The 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  813 

enemy  were  finally  repulsed  and  closely  pursued,  and 
two  prisoners  taken ;  the  enemy  also  lost  one  officer 
and  one  Indian  chief,  who  were  found  dead  in  the 
field,  besides  several  who  were  thrown  into  the  lake 
through  a  hole  cut  in  the  ice.  This  battle  occurred 
on  the  12th  of  March,  1778,  and  of  those  comprising 
this  little  band  not  a  man  was  lost. 

On  the  following  day  Colonel  Sawyer  buried  the 
bodies  of  Woodward  and  Daniels,  also  of  the  two 
men  picked  up  on  the  field,  having  first  cut  from  the 
nose  of  the  Indian  chief  his  jewels,  and  secured  his 
powder  horn  and  bullet-pouch,  as  trophies  of  liis 
victory. 

As  long  as  he  lived  he  celebrated  that  anniversary 
with  military  demonstrations. 

The  object  of  his  mission  being  completed,  Col. 
Sawyer  and  his  men  returned  to  their  families,  after 
an  absence  of  nine  weeks. 

Of  military  afi'airs  more  immediately  our  own,  un- 
fortunately no  records  can  be  found ;  even  the  mili- 
tia rolls  have  been  mislaid  or  lost.  But  it  is  a  mat- 
ter of  certainty,  that  the  military  spirit  was  of  a  high 
and  genuine  character,  at  an  early  day,  and  that  the 
organizations  of  military  companies  were  among  the 
first  institutions  of-  the  country.  To  have  a  well-dis-, 
ciplined  and  efi*ective  militia  in  the  state,  was  deemed 
of  the  highest  importance ;  and  as  soon  as  a  suffi- 

26 


314  HISTORY   OF    SALTRBURY. 

cient  number  of  able-bodied  men  could  be  collected 
together  in  a  new  town,  they  were  organized  into  a 
military  company ;  hence  there  was  no  need  of  any 
very  stringent  laws  to  compel  attention  to  these  matters. 

The  law  allowed  any  town  that  enrolled  and  or- 
ganized a  company  of  at  least  twenty  men,  to  have 
two  commissioned  officers,  a  captain  and  lieutenant, 
and  companies  consisting  of  thirty  men  or  more,  to 
have  three  commissioned  officers,  a  captain,  lieuten- 
ant and  ensign,  all  of  which  officers  were  commis- 
sioned by  the  governor.  To  make  up  the  desired 
number,  two  adjoining  towns  were  allowed  to  unite 
and  form  one  company  ;  and  it  is  said  that  Salisbury 
and  Leicester,  taking  advantage  of  this  privilege, 
trained  in  one  company  for  several  years.  It  is  not 
known  exactly  how  long  they  continued  together,  nor 
is  it  certain  at  what  time  the  company  was  formed — 
though  it  is  supposed  to  have  been  in  1788. 

The  company  was  organized  by  the  appointment 
of  William  Pratt  captain,  Abe  Waterous  lieutenant, 
and  Joel  Newton  ensign. 

At  the  resignation  of  captain  Pratt,  which  was 
probabl}^  at  the  time  the  company  divided,  each  town 
taking  its  own  men,  Joel  Newton  was  chosen  to  fill 
his  place,  while  Samuel  Pierce,  wlio  was  afterward 
promoted  to  the  office  of  lieutenant,  was  appointed 
ensign. 


HISTOKT   OF   SALISBURY.  31§ 

A  few  individuals  here  have  attained  some  local 
distinction  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  their  mil- 
itary office,  and  have  accepted  advanced  offices  in  the 
field,  with  honor  both  to  themselves  and  to  the  com- 
panies to  which  tliey  belonged.  George  Griswold 
was  one  of  the  most  popular  and  efficient  officers  in 
the  brigade  to  which  his  battallion  was  attached  ;  and 
after  having  done  good  service,  resigned  his  com- 
mission when  a  major.  James  L.  Morton,  after  hav- 
ing faithfully  served  in  most  of  the  subordinate  offi- 
ces, was  promoted  to  that  of  brigadier  general,  in 
which  he  served  several  years,  and  finally  resigned. 

Various  companies  have  been  formed  from  time  to 
time,  which  have  had  their  regular  days  of  public 
training  and  review,  but  all  appear  to  have  gone  out  of 
existence.  The  military  spirit  in  Salisbury  has  very 
much  declined,  of  late,  and  a  military  demonstration 
is  now  rarely  seen  within  her  borders. 

To  show  the  military  enthusiasm  which  pervaded 
the  town  under  the  influence  of  major  Griswold,  it 
might  be  added,  that  the  boys  between  the  ages  of 
sixteen  and  eighteen  years,  numbering  forty-four  in 
all,  formed  a  military  company,  and  organized  in  due 
form  by  the  appointment  of  a  captain,  lieutenant  and 
ensign.  .  This  juvenile  company  did  regular  military 
service  on  every  training  day,  for  several  years,  and 
w^as  looked  upon  as  well  disciplined  in  the  military 


816  HISTORY  OF   SAIJ8BUEY. 

movements.  By  express  invitation  from  the  regular 
company,  they  formed  on  the  left  in  the  battallion, 
where  they  displayed  columns  and  performed  the  va- 
rious field  evolutions  with  the  utmost  good  order  and 
promptness.  Their  only  uniform  was  a  badge  upon 
their  hats,  while  their  arms  were  wooden  guns.  They 
were  highly  complimented  for  their  good  behavior 
and  ready  action,  and  were  finally  dismissed,  in  1805. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  317 


CHAPTEE  XXIY. 

BIOGRAPHICAL   AND    GENEALOGICAL. 

The  following  biographical  and  genealogical  sketches 
are  necessarily  very  meagre,  but  the  collection  of  even 
what  is  here  presented  has  been  attended  with  a  great 
deal  of  labor.  And  the  author  must  plead  his  own 
want  of  time  and  other  inability,  in  excuse  for  the  im- 
perfection of  the  following  notices,  many  of  which  are 
of  men  whose  character  and  works  are  worthy  of  a 
more  extended  account. 

Of  professional  men  not  already  noticed,  among  the 
first  in  town  was  Henry  *S.  Wateriiouse,  M.  D.,  an 
adopted  son  of  Eleazer  Claghorn,  and  by  him  was 
educated.  He  studied  medicine  w^ith  Dr.  John  Hor- 
ton,  of  this  town,  and  settled  in  Malone,  'New  York, 
in  1808.  He  became  quite  an  eminent  surgeon,  and 
was  called  to  the  professorship  of  surgery  in  the  Uni- 
versity at  Burlington,  Vermont,  in  1825. 

On  account  of  failing  health,  in  182T,  he  resigned 
his  chair  in  the  university,  and,  in  company  with  his 
Bon,  went  to  Florida,  where,  soon  after  their  arrival, 

26* 


318  HISTORY   OF   SALISBUfir. 

both  were  drowned  when  on  a  sailing  excursion  in  the 
sea,  off  Key  "West. 

Horatio  Waterous,  Esq.,  another  adopted  son  of 
Eleazer  Claghorn,  was  educated  for  the  profession  of 
the  law,  and  commenced  practice  in  1802.  In  1808, 
he  moved  to  the  western  part  of  New  York,  where  he 
died  six  or  seven  years  afterward. 

But  Dariijs  Matthews,  M.  D.,  was  the  first  settled 
physician  in  Salisbury.  He  was  from  Cheshire,  Con- 
necticut, and  settled  here  in  1Y88  or  1Y89.  He  was  a 
successful  practitioner  in  his  profession,  and  performed 
other  valuable  services  for  the  town,  among  which 
was  the  survey  of  highways.  He  remained  in  town 
but  a  year  or  two,  when  he  moved  to  Middlebury, 
where  he  continued  the  practice  of  medicine  many 
years.  He  was  appointed  clerk  of  the  Supreme 
Court  in  1798,  and  was  called  to  the  office  of  Judge 
of  Probate  in  1801,  in  which  he  continued  until  his 
death  in  1819.  He  was  one  of  the  first  members  of 
the  corporation  of  Middlebury  College,  and  was  an 
efficient  and  useful  citizen  in  Middlebury.  In  1809, 
he  moved  from  Middlebury  to  Cornwall,  which  latter 
town  he  represented  in  the  state  legislature  several 
years. 

EuFus  Kewton,  M.  D.,  son  of  Captain  Joel  New- 
ton, turned  his  attention  to  the  study  of  medicine, 
and  commenced  practice  here  in  1805.     Subsequently 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBUKY.  319 

he  moved  to  St.  Lawrence  county,  ISTew  York,  where 
lie  remained  several  years,  but  preferring  his  native 
town,  returned  to  Salisbury  and  connected  the  pur- 
suit of  the  farmer  with  that  of  his  profession.  Finally 
when  quite  advanced  in  life,  he  moved  to  Rock  Island, 
Illinois,  where  several  of  his  children  had  previously 
gone,  in  which  place  he  died  in  February,  1857. 

E.  I^.  Bktggs,  Esq.,  son  of  Levi  Briggs,  came  into 
this  town  with  his  father  in  1819.  He  studied  law, 
and  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  here,  in 
1826,  in  which  he  continued  with  good  success  for 
many  years.  Finally  he  was  induced  to  move  to 
Brandon,  where  lie  still  resides,  in  a  successful  prac- 
tice. He  represented  Salisbury  in  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  the  state,  four  years  in  succession,  and  was 
speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives  a  number  of 
years.  He  was  also  elected  a  member  of  the  state 
senate,  while  a  citizen  of  Addison  county,  and  since 
his  removal  to  Brandon,  has  represented  that  town  in 
the  General  Assembly  and  served  as  senator  from 
Rutland  county.  He  has  held  many  important  offices, 
not  only  in  public  but  in  private  corporations  ;  has 
been  a  successful  man,  both  in  his  profession  and  in 
politics,  and  occupies  a  high  and  influential  position 
in  the  community. 

Moses  H.  Ranney,  M.  D.,  was  born,  August  16th, 
1814,  in  Stockbridge,  Yt.     His  early  life  Avas  passed 


320  HISTORY    OF    8ALI8BUKY. 

entirely  at  school,  until  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  when 
he  conimenced  the  study  of  medicine,  with  Dr.  Dan- 
iel Huntington,  of  Rochester,  Yt.  Having  comple- 
ted the  usual  term  of  study,  and  attended  four 
courses  of  medical  lectures,  he  graduated  at  the  age 
of  nineteen,  at  the  Berkshire  Medical  College,  in  Mas- 
sachusetts. Pie  remained  in  his  native  town  one 
year,  and  then  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion ill  Salisbury,  where  he  resided  eleven  years.  In 
1837,  he  was  married  to  the  daughter  of  Aaron  Bur- 
rows, Esq.,  one  of  our  oldest  and  most  respectable  cit- 
izens. During  his  residence  here,  he  was  favored 
with  an  extensive  and  lucrative  practice  for  a  coun- 
try practitioner,  and  was  fast  arriving  at  eminence, 
both  in  the  skill  and  learning  of  his  profession.  But 
wishing  to  perfect  his  knowledge  by  a  personal  ob- 
servation of  the  nature  and  treatment  of  a  greater  va" 
riety  of  diseases  than  was  here  brought  to  his  notice, 
he  went  to  New  York  and  commenced  a  course  of 
critical  observations  in  the  hospitals  of  that  city, 
which  resulted,  in  a  short  time,  in  his  appointment 
to  the  ofiice  of  assistant  physician  in  Bellevue  Hos- 
pital, lie  had  been  in  this  office  but  a  short  time, 
when  he  was  made  physician  in  chief  of  the  New 
York  City  Lunatic  Asylum,  which  position  he  still 
holds.  Dr.  Ranney  has  taken  a  high  rank  in  his 
profession,  and  has  received  many  honors,  both  of  a 


HISTORY    OF   SALISBURY.  321 

scientific  and  literary  character.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Pathological  Society,  and  a  Fellow  of  the  Aca- 
demy of  Medicine.  His  present  important  and  hon- 
orable position,  and  the  influence  he  exerts  among 
others  of  the  same  vocation,  are  sufficient  evidences 
of  his  professional  merit. 

Martik  G.  Everts,  Esq.,  son  of  Gilbert  Everts, 
received  his  classical  education  at  Middlebury  Col- 
lege, and  studied  law  with  Hon.  Solomon  Foot,  of 
Rutland,  Yermont,  with  whom  he  afterward  went 
into  a  successful  practice. 

He  has  represented  the  town  of  Rutland  several 
years  in  the  state  legislature,  and  has  been  elected 
senator  from  the  county  in  which  he  lives,  one  or  two 
years.  When  a  member  of  the  legislature  he  has 
taken  a  prominent  part  in  the  discussion  of  important 
questions,  and  done  a  good  service  in  both  houses. 
He  is  a  good  lawyer,  and  is  now  in  a  successful  prac- 
tice in  Rutland. 

John  Protjt,  Esq.,  commenced  the  labors  of  his 
profession  in  Salisbury,  in  1838,  where  he  continued, 
with  an  increasing  business,  nntil  August,  1854,  when 
he  moved  to  Rutland,  where  lie  now  resides.  He  re- 
presented the  town  several  years  in  the  legislature) 
and  rendered  it  many  valuable  services  during  his 
residence  here,  by  his  prudent  and  careful  counsel. 
Mr.  Prout  was  always  a  close  and  accurate  student, 


322  HISTOKY    OF    SALISBURY. 

which,  united  with  his  natural  talents,  have  given 
him  a  position  as  a  lawyer,  much  above  mediocrity. 

Olin  G.  Dyer,  M.  D.,  son  of  Gideon  Dyer,  com- 
menced the  practice  of  medicine  here,  in  1846,  but 
found  a  more  favorable  opening  in  Brandon,  to 
which  place  he  finally  moved.  He  still  resides  in 
Brandon,  and  is  favored  with  a  wide  and  generous 
patronage. 

Rev.  Samuel  Cheney  was  graduated  at  Middle- 
hurj  College,  in  1840,  and  studied  theology  at  Prince- 
ton, jN".  J.  Preferring  a  southern  field  for  his  labor, 
he  was  settled  as  pastor,  over  a  presbyterian  church, 
in  Springfield,  Ky. 

BusHROD  Howard,  Esq.,  son  of  Ellery  Howard, 
studied  law,  and  moved  to  the  west.  During  the 
last  war,  he  accepted  a  commission  in  the  army,  and 
went  to  Mexico,  where  he  is  said  to  have  performed 
all  the  duties  pertaining  to  his  office,  with  ability  and 
credit.  He  afterward  located  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  Galena,  IlL,  where  he  now  resides. 

Columbus  Smith,  Esq.,  son  of  Joseph  Smith,  was 
graduated  at  Middlebury  College,  in  1842,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  of  Addison  county,  about  the 
year  1845,  since  which  time  he  has  been  employed 
in  examining  and  prosecuting  for  individuals  in  this 
country,  claims  in  England  and  other  European 
countries.     Mr.  Smith  has  successfully  managed  some 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  323 

of  these  claims  to  the  great  pecuniary  advantage 
both  of  himself  and  his  patrons. 

'Rky.  Albert  S.  Graves,  son  of  Augustus  Graves, 
was  graduated  at  Wesleyan  University,  in  1846.  Ho 
studied  theology  with  Kev.  Stephen  Olin,  D.  D.,  and 
joined  the  Oneida  conference  of  the  M.  E.  church, 
at  Binghampton,  ]N".  Y^  in  1847.  He  has  since  been 
settled  over  churches  in  Groton,  Moravia,  Ithaca,  Ox- 
ford, Utica,  Cortland,  and  Auburn,  all  of  the  State  of 
]N"ew  York.     He  is  now  preaching  in  Auburn,  [N".  Y. 

O.  !R.  Graves,  brother  of  the  preceding,  w^as 
graduated  at  Middlebury  College,  in  1855.  Since  he 
left  college,  he  has  been  engaged  in  teaching. 

John  E.  Weeks.  M.  D.,  son  of  John  M.  Weeks, 
was  graduated  at  Middlebury  College,  in  1853,  and 
studied  medicine  at  the  University  at  Albany,  N.  Y., 
and  at  the  Medical  college,  in  Castleton,  Yt.,  at  which 
latter  institution,  he  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Medicine,  in  1855.  He  is  now  engaged  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  in  Brandon. 

George  A.  Weeks,  brother  and  classmate  of  the 
preceding,  after  his  graduation  at  college,  studied  law 
and  commenced  practice  at  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  but 
subsequently  left  the  profession,  and  is  now  in  l^ew 
York. 

In  returning  to  those  men  who  did  not  lead  what 
is  called  a  professional  life,  but  who  perhaps  have 


324  HISTORY   OF   SALISBIJRT. 

performed  a  no  less  honorable  and  important  part  in 
the  history  of  our  town,  it  should  be  further  added 
that,  of  the  sons  of  Joshua  Graves,  at  least  three,  Jesse, 
Simeon,  and  Chauncey,  and  probably  others,  were 
soldiers  in  the  American  service  during  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  and  received  pensions  in  tlieir  old  age. 
Joshua,  the  father,  w^as  exempted  from  duty  on  ac- 
count of  his  deafness.  He,  together  with  his  son 
Jesse,  built  the  first  framed  barn  in  Salisbury  in  1783, 
which  stands  a  little  to  the  east  of  the  late  Joseph 
Smith's  dwelling-house. 

Mr.  Graves'  descendants,  so  far  as  known,  are 
Graves,  Ilogsden,  Sprague,  M'Donald,lN'oyes,  Blodget, 
White,  Smith,  Itanney,  Cook,  Gibson,  Foster,  San- 
derson, Campbell,  Lane,  Allen,  Taft,  Savery,  How- 
ard, London,  Goodyear,  Black,  Reynolds,  and  Hare.* 

Gilbert  Everts  was  from  Salisbury,  Connecticut, 
and  came  here  in  1786.  He  w^as  one  of  the  original 
grantees  and  the  only  one  who  came  and  took  posses- 
sion of  his  lands.  He  was  a  royalist,  and  of  course 
his  political  sentiments  were  adverse  to  a  revolution  ; 
he   thought  the  American  people   at  that  time   too 

*  These  genealogical  lists  must  necessarily  have  been  im- 
perfect in  the  first  instance,  and  especially  are  they  so  now, 
since  they  were  made  nearly  ten  years  ago.  But  they  may 
not  be  altogether  devoid  of  interest  and  use,  and  are  therefore 
inserted. — Ed. 


Ik         \^ 


%^ 


M  i 


'^-v^^^'^^^<^.^<^ij^^^>(^ 


HISTOKY    OF    SALISBURY.  327 

weak  in  population  and  wealth  to  throw  off  the  Brit- 
ish yoke.  His  descendants  are  Everts,  Bump,  Eider, 
Stewai-t,  Brown,  Kingslej,  Powers,  Hamilton,  and 
others. 

Epheaim  Crook  came  to  Salisbury  from  "West- 
minster, Yermont,  in  1793  and  always  pursued  the 
business  of  agriculture.  He  was  a  man  of  strong 
constitution,  which  enabled  hi4:n  to  work  profitably 
in  his  vocation.  By  his  labor  and  economy  he  ac- 
cumulated quite  a  large  amount  of  property,  and  as 
his  boys,  of  whom  he  had  four,  grew  up,  he  gave 
each  a  farm,  and  at  his  death  possessed  a  good  one 
himself.  His  wife,  Fanny,  after  moving  to  tliis  town, 
learned  the  art  of  midwifery,  which  she  practiced 
with  great  success  about  forty  years.  She  ofiiciated 
in  the  exercise  of  her  calling  in  all  the  neighboring 
towns,  until  prevented  from  further  duty  by  a  can- 
cerous affection,  which  terminated  her  valuable  life 
in  1846.  The  descendants  of  the  preceding  are  Crook, 
Dike,  Weeks,  Barker,  Wooster,  Hyde,  and  Merrill. 

Samuel  S.  Crook,  one  of  the  sons  of  Ephraim  and 
Fanny  Crook,  was  born  at  Westminster,  Yermont, 
January  11th,  1789,  and  came  into  town  with  his 
father  when  about  five  years  old.  He  inherited  his 
father's  strength  of  constitution  and  habits  of  industry 
and  economy.  His  main  occupation  has  been  that  of 
a  farmer,  though  he  has  realized  considerable  profit 

21 


328  HISTORY   OF    SALISBUBY. 

from  his  aptitude  at  trade.  About  the  beginning  of 
the  war  of  1812,  having  had  the  experience  of  the 
two  or  three  preceding  years  in  the  capacity  of  clerk 
in  a  store,  he  determined  to  enter  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness, and  for  that  purpose  bought  out  the  establish- 
ment of  Jacob  Linsly  at  Salisbury  village,  but  after 
remaining  in  the  business  about  a  year,  the  bad  in- 
fliiences  of  the  war  upon  his  trade  induced  liim  to 
relinquish  it  and  return  to  agriculture. 

In  1845  and  1846  he  represented  the  town  in  the 
state  legislature,  where  he  performed  his  duties  with 
characteristic  promptness  and  prudence.  In  1848  he 
moved  into  the  south  part  of  Middlebury,  where  he 
still  lives  in  quiet  and  ease. 

Mr.  Crook  has  been  a  person  of  unusual  activity 
and  energy,  and  is  well  known,  not  only  for  his  busi- 
ness traits  of  character,  but  for  his  hospitable  and 
generous  home.  Pic  was  married  in  1816  to  Eliza- 
beth Sheldon,  but  has  no  children. 

Pliny  Flagg  was  from  Boylston,  Mass.,  and  came 
here  in  1Y84,  when  about  seven  years  of  age.  He 
had  several  brothers,  of  whom  Solomon  and  Samuel 
lived  with  their  mother.  Mrs.  Flagg,  the  mother, 
was  a  widow,  and  moved  into  town  among  the  first 
settlers.  Mr.  Flagg  was  longer  a  resident  of  Salis- 
bury than  any  other  person  since  its  settlement,  hav- 
ing been  here  sixty-seven  years  and  three  months. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  329 

He  was  well  known  for  his  industry  and  economy, 
and  after  having  accumulated  quite  a  large  amount 
of  property,  he  died  in  July,  1851.  His  descendants 
are  Doud,  Campbell^  and  Hedden* 

CapTv  Joel  Newton  was  from  Cheshire,  Connecti- 
cut, and  settled  in  1784.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the 
revolution,  and  drew  a  pension  till  his  death.  He 
was  a  wise  and  good  man.  JSTo  person  in  town  did 
more,  in  proportion  to  his  means,  for  the  support 
of  the  Gospel,  and  other  public  and  benevolent  insti- 
tutions, than  Captain  Newton.  He  died  in  1842, 
aged  eighty-four  years.  His  descendants  are  New- 
ton, McWane,  and  others. 

Capt.  William  Pratt  was  from  Easton,  Massachu- 
setts, and  was  also  a  soldier  of  the  revolution,  and 
drew  a  pension.  He  settled  the  same  year  with  Cap- 
tain Newton.  His  descendants  are  Pratt,  Dewey  and 
Gibson. 

JosiAH  Farnham  also  settled  the  sam^  year,  and 
was  a  revolutionary  soldier.  He  lived  to  an  advanced 
age.  His  descendants  are  Farnham,  Graves,  Crook, 
Barker,  McVine,  Bump,  Pond  and  Ludlum. 

Abe  Waterous  was  another  settler  of  1784,  and  a 
revolutionary  soldier.  He  was  in  several  battles, 
among  which  was  the  battle  of  Bennington.  He  died 
about  1800.     His  descendants  are  Waterhouse,  John- 


330  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

son,  Andrews,  Wilcox,  Bell,  Miles,  Daniels,  and 
Langdon. 

Elisha  White,  from  Lancaster,  Massachusetts,  and 
Widow  Stephen  TIolman,  from  Sterling,  Massachu- 
setts, also  settled  in  town  during  the  same  year.-  Tlie 
descendants  of  the  former  are  White,  Sawyer,  Ham- 
mond, Mead,  Cole,  Conant,  Johnson,  Baldwin,  Col- 
vin,  Paige,  Alden  and  Ward ;  and  of  the  latter, 
Holman,  Wolcott,  Smith,  Waterhouse,  Doty,  Prout 
and  others. 

Elias  Kelsey  was  born  in  Guilford,  Connecticut, 
and  came  here  in  1785.  He  w^as  the  first  constable 
(previous  to  the  time  at  which  the  table  previously 
given  commences),  was  on  the  first  committee  to  lay 
out  roads,  and  among  the  first  selectmen.  He  had 
several  sons,  of  whom  Elias,  junior,  lived  in  Salisbury 
sixty-seven  years  and  one  month,  and  died  April  28th, 
1852.  aged  seventy-seven.  His  descendants  are  Kel- 
sey,  Bradley,  Woodcock,  Bigelow,  Hawley,  Allen, 
Howe,  Clark,  Stewart,  Bly,  Actly,  Sumner,  Lee  and 
many  in  the  western  country. 

Samuel  Pierce  was  a  native  of  Canaan,  Connecti- 
cut, and  settled  in  1787.  He  was  a  revolutionary 
soldier.  He  was  distinguished  for  his  muscular  elas- 
ticity, and  among  other  feats,  would,  on  level  ground, 
jump  over  a  string  stretched  six  feet  above  it.  His 
strength,  united  with  other  abilities,  rendered  him  a 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBFEY.  331 

fit  person  for  the  office  of  constable,  which  he  held 
fourteen  years  in  succession.  His  descendants  are 
Pierce,  Story,  Farraud  and  Chapin. 

Thomas  S avert,  from  Sutton,  Mass.,  and  Henry 
Kelar,  from  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  settled  in  1788, 
and  were  both  revolutionary  soldiers.  The  former 
was  in  the  battle  at  Lexington,  Monmouth,  and 
White  Plains,  and  his  descendants  are  Savery,  ISTew- 
ton,  Powell,  Filly,  Cotton,  Owen,  Holman,  and  Kem- 
ington. 

John  Fyfe  was  a  Scotchman,  and  settled  in  1788. 
He  was  said  to  have  been  in  the  British  service  dur- 
ing the  war.  However  that  may  be,  he  was  a  very 
useful  man  among  the  settlers,  for  he  was  a  brick- 
layer, and  could  work  in  many  ingenious  ways.  His 
descendants  are  Fyfe,  Perry,  and  Hooker. 

Asa  Lawrence  was  a  native  of  Canaan,  Conn., 
and  settled  in  1789.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in  all 
transactions  of  the  town.  Although  a  carpenter  by 
trade,  he  also  made  carts  and  wagons,  which,  especi- 
ally at  that  time,  rendered  him  a  very  useful  person 
in  community ;  and  in  addition  to  his  usefulness,  he 
was  proverbially  honest.  He  had  only  one  son, 
Jedediah  by  name,  who,  after  doing  the  town  some 
valuable .  services,  finally  settled  in  Crown  Point, 
K  Y. 

Holland  Weeks  was  from  Litchfield,  Conn.,  and 

21* 


8S3  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

settled  in  1789.  He  received  the  title  to  his  land 
from  Gov.  Wentworth  of  New  Hampshire,  in  1785, 
and  came  on  and  made  his  survey  in  1787.  In  1788, 
he  moved  his  team  and  farming  tools,  cleared  land, 
built  a  log  house,  and  made  other  preparations  for 
moving  his  family,  the  following  year.  Early  in 
1789,  his  family  were  moved  into  this  log  house, 
having  made  the  journey  from  Connecticut,  in  seven- 
teen days.  He  died  of  lung  fever,  Nov.  22d,  1812. 
His  descendants  are  Weeks,  Goodell,  Adams,  Sey- 
mour, Burnham,  Avery,  Sliepherd,  Everts,  Barker, 
Merrill,  Bump,  Rider,  Stewart,  Brown,  Kingsley, 
Beach,  Shumway,  Park,  Clark,  Wilcox,  Shelden, 
Robinson,  Bingham,  Ellsworth,  Hall,  Hamilton,  and 
others. 

Solomon  Story,  brother  of  Amos  Story,  was  from 
Norwich,  Conn.,  and  later  from  Dalton,  Mass.,  and 
settled  here  in  1789.  After  a  life  of  great  usefulness, 
he  died,  May  22d,  1816,  aged  ninety  years.  His  de- 
scendants are  Story,  Hammond,  Raymond,  Swan, 
Chapin,  and  Farrand. 

Jonas  Story,  son  of  the  preceding,  came  into  town 
with  his  father,  and  by  hard  labor  at  chopping,  clear- 
ing land,  and  otherwise,  accumulated  means  sufficient 
to  defray  his  expenses,  while  pursuing  the  studies 
preparatory  to  the  legal  profession.  He  was,  finally, 
admitted  to  the  bar,  and  settled  in  Poughkeepsie,  N. 


HISTOKY    OF   SALISBURY.  333 

Y.,  where  he  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  a  respectable 
and  successful  lawyer.  ' 

EuFrs  Story,  another  son  of  Solomon  Story,  also 
came  to  Salisbury  with  his  father,  in  1789.  He  is 
still  living  in  tow^n,  and  is  one  of  its  oldest  and  most 
respected  inhabitants.  He  inherited  much  of  the  un- 
ostentatious worth  which  characterized  his  father,  and 
has  lived  a  life  which,  for  its  honesty  and  Christian 
meekness,  and  charity,  may  well  be  imitated  by  all. 

Gilbert  Everts,  Jr.,  was  a  native  of  Salisbury, 
Conn.,  aud  came  into  town  with  his  father,  in  1786. 
He  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  congrega- 
tional church,  to  which,  at  his  death,  he  bequeathed 
the  sum  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  He 
was  an  industrious  and  exemplary  man,  and  at  his 
death  was  mourned  by  a  large  circle  of  relations  and 
friends. 

Eli  Smead,  a  revolutionary  soldier,  was  from 
Greenfield,  Mass.,  and  settled  in  1795.  Ilis  descend- 
ants are  Smead,  Long,  Sanford,  and  Stowell. 

Aaron  L.  Beach  was  from  Torrington,  Conn.,  and 
settled  in  1790.  He  died  in  1826,  aged  fifty-seven. 
His  descendants  are  Beach,  Shumway,  Park,  Wilson, 
and  others. 

Salati^iel  Bump,  a  revolutionary  soldier,  was  from 
Oblong,  N.  Y.,  and  settled  in  1790.  He  was  justice 
of  the  peace  a  great  number  of  years,  and  was  sent 


334  HISTOKY   OF   SALISBUET. 

to  the  legislature,  as  town  representative,  many  times. 
He  was  a  leading  man  in  town,  and  may  well  be 
considered  one  of  its  fathers.  His  descendants  are 
Bump,  Beach,  Allen,  Smith,  Capron,  Jefferson, 
Rounds,  Elmore,  Crook,  Hanno,  Moses,  Paine,  Ward, 
Gibson,  Harris,  Boardman,  Briggs,  and  Hamilton. 

Simeon  Strong,  also  a  revolutionary  soldier,  was 
from  Salisbury,  Conn.,  and  settled  in  1790.  His  des- 
cendants are  Parsons,  Blood,  Bump,  Moses,  Gibson, 
Paine,  Wright,  Beach,  Gipson,  Flagg,  Doud,  and 
Parker. 

Abnek  Moke  was  from  Whittingham,  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  settled  in  1793.  His  descendants  are  More, 
Jenney,  Bishop,  Tubs,  Carr  and  Gipson. 

Daniel  Whitney,  a  revolutionary  soldier,  was  last 
from  Westminster,  Yermont,  and  settled  in  1793. 
His  descendants  are  Whitney,  Eggleston,  Brown, 
Griffin,  Hadlock,  Carr  and  Gipson. 

Daniel  ISToyes,  another  soldier  of  the  revolution, 
was  a  native  of  Sudbury,  Massachusetts,  and  settled 
in  1794.  His  descendants  are  Noyes,  Powers,  Lahee, 
Hare,  Reynolds,  Wright,  Barns,  Brown,  Ivneeland, 
Carlisle,  Holiday,  Ingerson,  Field  and  Briggs. 

John  Deming,  was  from  Canaan,  Connecticut,  and 
last  from  Middlebury,  Vermont.  lie  moved  to  Salis- 
bury village  in  1794,  and  took  possession  of  the  water 
power  that  he  had  previously  purchased  of  Colonel 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  335 

Thomas  Sawyer.  He  carried  on  the  business  of  black- 
smith, and  kept  a  store  for  a  number  of  years,  but 
finally,  in  1807,  moved  back  to  Middlebury.  His 
descendants  are  Deming,  Walker,  Paine,  Curtis,  Tripp 
and  Green. 

Ethan  Kelsey  was  a  native  of  Killingsworth,  Con- 
necticut, and  moved  his  family  into  town  in  1795, 
but  made  his  home  mostly  in  Whiting,  and  was  dea- 
con of  the  Congregational  church  in  that  place.  His 
descendants  are  Kelsey,  Foster,  Taylor,  Graves,  Holt, 
Barker  and  Ludlum. 

John  Holt,  a  soldier  of  the  revolution,  was  a  native 
of  Woburn,  Massachusetts,  and  settled  in  1795. 

He  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the  Congre- 
gational church,  and  one  of  its  first  deacons.  His 
descendants  are  Holt,  IS'oyes,  Tharp,  Weller  and 
others. 

LrNAH  Titus  was  from  Attlebury,  Massachusetts, 
and  settled  in  1795.  His  descendants  are  Titus,  Hil- 
dreth.  Payday,  Pratt,  Kemington  and  Beach. 

Samuel  Taylor  was  from  Eastham,  l^ew  Hamp- 
shire, and  also  settled  in  1795.  His  descendants  are 
Taylor,  Gorham,  Barker,  Bump,  Elmore,  Eaton,  Car- 
penter, IToyes,  Banno,  Crook,  Brown,  Carlisle,  Inger- 
son,  Holdridge,  Ballard  and  Sturdevant. 

Joshua  Moosman  was  from  Erenchtown,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  moved  his  family  to  Salisbury  in  1798. 


836  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

He  was  in  the  revolutionary  war ;  was  present  at  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  was  carried  away  captive 
by  the  Indians,  at  Crown  Point,  New  York.  His 
descendants  are  Moosman,  Bidwell,  Chafee,  Strong 
and  Mead. 

Reuben  Saxton  was  a  native  of  Kortliampton, 
Massachusetts,  and  settled  in  this  town  in  1799.  The 
first  year  of  his  residence  here,  he  was  elected  town 
clerk,  which  office  he  held  for  twenty-nine  succes- 
sive years.  He  was  justice  of  the  peace  about  the 
same  length  of  time,  and  represented  the  town  six 
years  in  the  state  legislature.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
thorough  business  men  the  town  has  ever  possessed ; 
he  took  a  leading  part  in  all  public  transactions,  and 
did  much  for  the  support  of  education  and  religion. 
In  1837,  he  sold  out  his  property  here,  and  left  town, 
to  the  great  regret  and  sorrow  of  a  large  community 
of  friends.     He  died  in  the  autumn  of  1850. 

Mrs.  Anna  Weeks,  mother  of  Holland  Weeks, 
senior,  was  born  in  Pomfret,  Connecticut,  and  came 
to  Salisbury  in  1799.  From  about  1760,  she  had 
practised  in  the  calling  of  midwife  in  her  native  state, 
and  on  arriving  here,  again  entered  upon  the  duties  of 
the  same  vocation,  which  she  performed  with  remark- 
able success.  She  officiated  at  the  birth  of  more  than 
a  thousand  children,  and  rarely,  if  ever,  was  unsuc- 
cessful.    Mrs.  Fanny  Crook  learned  the  obstetric  art 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  337 

of  her.  She  always  rode  on  horseback  and  made 
her  visits  alone,  even  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
six,  and  was  extensively  employed  until  her  death, 
which  occurred  in  the  latter  part  of  1805. 

Samuel  Daniels  was  from  Upton,  Massachusetts, 
and  settled  here  in  17Y5.  By  the  compromise  with 
Leicester  in  1796,  his  farm  w^as  brought  within  the 
limits  of  that  town.  He  was  a  revolutionary  soldier, 
and,  as  has  already  been  stated,  was  killed  by  the 
Indians  and  tories  at  Shelburne  in  1778.  He  had  two 
sons,  Dan  and  Samuel,  the  former  of  whom  remained 
among  us  and  still  resides  on  the  old  place  in  the 
south  part  of  the  town.  Among  his  descendants  are 
Daniels,  Story,  Gibson,  and  Forbes. 

Solomon  Thomas  w^as  last  from  Chittenden,  Yer. 
mont,  and  settled  here  about  the  year  1800.  He 
settled  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  town,  where  he  pur- 
sued the  business  of  a  farmer  until  his  death.  His 
descendants  are  numerous  and  mostly  retain  the 
family  name.  Marrying  cousins  or  distant  relations 
has  been  a  peculiarity  of  the  family,  thus  giving  no 
great  variety  to  the  descendants'  names. 

Christopher  Johnson  a  revolutionary  soldier,  was 
a  native  of  Harrington,  Connecticut,  and  moved  into 
the  town-  in  179^.  His  descendants  are  Johnson, 
Smith,  Jewett,  Sherman,  Wheeler,  Waterons,  Cap- 
ron,  Tripp,  and  Barrett. 


338  HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY. 

George  Griswold  was  from  Salisbury,  Connecticut, 
and  came  here  in  1800.  In  the  revolutionary  war  he 
was  a  servant  to  Captain  Eleazer  Claghorn.  Mr. 
Griswold  was  a  useful  citizen  and  wielded  a  great  and 
beneficial  influence  wherever  he  went.  He  was  kind, 
generous,  and  peace-loving,  and  when  he  died  was 
mourned  by  all  who  knew  him.  His  death  occurred 
in  1811,  and  was  caused  by  a  wound  in  the  knee,  re- 
ceived while  cutting  a  bee  tree. 

William  Copeland  was  born  in  Pomfret,  Con- 
necticut, and  settled  in  1800.  He  was  an  ingeni- 
ous mechanic  and  worked  at  wheels  and  plows. 
His  descendants  are  Copeland,  Cad  well.  Carpenter, 
Bancroft,  Tucker,  Griffith,  and  Mead. 

GuRSHAM  Beach  was  a  Yirginian,  and  came  here 
in  the  year  1800.  He  was  in  the  service  of  his  country 
most  of  the  time  during  the  revolutionary  war,  was 
with  Ethan  Allen  at  the  taking  of  the  fort  at  Ticon- 
deroga,  was  present  at  the  capture  of  Burgoyne,  and 
was  in  the  battle  of  Ilubbarton.  He  fell  through  the 
ice  when  crossing  a  pond  in  Canada  East,  in  1812,  and 
was  drowned.  His  descendants  are  Beach,  Thomas 
Blanchard,  Woodard,  Graves,  Goodyear,  Savery,  Lou- 
don, Howard,  Emerson,  Eoot,  Washburn,  Ford,  Mar- 
tin, Brown,  and  Gibbs. 

Nathaniel  R.  Field  was  from  Tolland,  Connecti- 
cut, and  moved  to  Salisbury  in  1804.     He  married 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  339 

Ruth  E"oyes,  and  followed  the  trade  of  a  tailor  nearly 
all  his  life.  He  now  resides  with  his  son  in  Brandon. 
His  descendants  are  Field  and  Brio^o^s. 

Joseph  Hubbard  was  born  in  Windsor,  Connecti- 
cut, and  came  here  in  1805.  He  was  a  very  pious 
and  exemplary  man,  of  the  sect  known  as  Freewill 
Baptists,  and  was  licensed  to  preach.  His  descendants 
are  Hubbard,  Thomas,  Beach,  Hollister,  and  Kilburn. 

Jonathan  Wainwright  was  from  Cheshire,  Con- 
necticut, and  moved  into  this  town  in  1805.  He  was 
a  teamster  in  the  revolutionary  war.  His  descendants 
are  Wainwright,  Wooster,  Hyde,  Dyke,  Sessions, 
Thomas,  Severance,  Emerson,  Beckwith,  Barber, 
Spaulding,  Smith,  Beardsly,  Guernsey,  Pray,  Howe, 
Northrop,  and  Wheeler. 

Ellery  Howard  was  last  from  Jamaica,  Vermont, 
and  settled  here  in  1806.  He  was  a  cloth-dresser  by 
trade,  and  followed  the  business  of  that  calling  sev- 
eral years,  but  finally  commenced  tavern-keeping,  in 
which  he  has  continued  to  this  day.  Mr.  Howard 
has  kept  a  public  house  in  Salisbury  village  nearly 
fifty  years.     His  descendants  are  Howard. 

Jabez  Spencer  came  into  Salisbury  from  New  Ha- 
ven, Connecticut,  in  the  year  1807.  He  was  also  a 
revolutionary  soldier.  His  descendants  are  Spencer, 
Adams,  Ames,  Bush,  Smith,  Phelps,  and  Barker. 

John  Morton  w^as  a  native  of  Middleborongh,  Mas- 

28 


34:0  HISTORY    OF   SALISBUBY. 

sachusetts,  and  brought  his  family  to  this  town  in 
1807.  He  was  in  the  revolutionary  war,  and  though 
only  a  boy,  was  engaged  in  the  skirmish  with  the 
British  at  the  burning  of  New  Bedford,  and  was  out 
with  tlie  troops  in  Khode  Island  and  other  places,  in 
times  of  alarm.  When  Mr.  Morton  came  here,  the 
military  company  appeared  to  be  losing  its  strength 
and  discipline,  for  want  of  proper  officers ;  and  he 
being  an  efficient  man,  and  having  had  some  military 
experience  in  the  war,  was  urged  to  accept  the  ap- 
pointment of  captain,  and  did  so.  After  serving 
faithfully  and  acceptably  in  this  office  two  or  three 
seasons,  he  resigned,  and  was  chosen  captain  of  a 
large  company  of  Silver  Grays,  formed,  of  old  revolu- 
tionary soldiers  and  others,  both  from  Salisbury  and 
Leicester,  for  the  purposes  of  defence  if  necessary,  in 
the  war  of  1812. 

Captain  Morton  called  this  company  together,  con- 
sisting of  seventy-seven  men,  beside  officers,  and  went 
to  meet  the  British  at  Plattsburgh,  at  the  memorable 
battle  at  that  place,  in  1814.  He  lived  to  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  ninety-four  years,  and  died  December 
23d,  1857,  and  was  buried  on  Christinas  day — the 
day  of  his  birth.  His  descendants  are  Morton,  Wel- 
lington, Dyer  and  Haight. 

Jacob  Chase  is  a  native  of  Newburyport,  Massa- 
chusetts, and   came  to   Salisbury  in   1806,  when   a 


HISTOIiY    OF    SALISBURY.  341 

young  man.  Having  learned  the  business  of  iron 
making,  lie  was  unsettled  for  a  few  years,  obtaining 
employment  at  different  places,  but  at  last  became  a 
permanent  settler  here,  in  1811.  He  has  been  a  leading 
man  in  the  business  of  iron  making,  in  Salisbury,  for 
more  than  forty  years.  Possessing  much  more  than  or- 
dinary physical  strength  and  hardihood,  he  was  pecu- 
liarly fitted  for  the  labors  of  his  calling.  He  spent 
two  years  in  the  service  of  his  country,  in  the  war  of 
1812,  in  which  he  received  a  severe  wound,  by  which 
he  was  disabled  for  quite  a  long  time.  He  has  drawn 
a  pension  of  ninety-six  dollars  per  annum,  since  1814. 

Mr.  Chase's  business  as  a  bloomer,  led  him,  in  early 
life,  into  the  habit  of  drinking  ardent  spirits  quite 
freely ;  and  for  many  years  he  had  the  peculiar  repu- 
tation of  being  able  to  drink  more  rum,  without  its 
disturbing  his  equilibrium,  than  any  other  person 
who  indulged  in  that  dangerous  habit.  To  use  his 
own  words,  "  he  could  no  more  be  made  drunk,  than 
the  distillery  itself."  But  when  the  temperance  re- 
form commenced  among  us,  he  was  early  found 
among  the  reformed,  and  took  a  very  active  part  in 
the  temperance  meetings.  His  great-grandmother, 
on  his  mother's  side,  was  an  Indian  woman,  from  the 
Mohawk  tribe.  His  descendants  are  Chase,  Estee, 
Dow,  Lamphier,  and  Jennings. 

Moses  Sheldon  was  from  Salisbury,  Connecticut, 
and   moved   to   this  town  in  1810.     He  married  a 


342  HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY. 

daughter  of  Samuel  Keep.  His  descendants  are 
Sheldon,  Case,  Johnson,  and  James. 

Samuel  Keep  was  also  from  Salisbury,  Connecticut, 
and  was  one  of  the  original  grantees  of  the  town.  He 
first  settled  in  Crown  Point," New  York,  about  the 
year  1773,  and  being  well  acquainted  with  the  forts 
both  at  Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga,  was  one  of 
Ethan  Allen's  advisers  in  taking  the  fort  at  the  latter 
place  in  1775.  In  order  to  obtain  a  more  perfect 
knowledge  of  the  fort  at  Ticonderoga  and  of  its  guards, 
he  made  pretence  that  his  cow  had  strayed  and  could 
probably  be  found  grazing  somewhere  near  the  camp 
ground,  and  accordingly  he  was  allowed  to  pass  the 
guard.  After  making  a  full  survey  of  all  the  place, 
he  lost  no  time  in  giving  Allen  the  benefit  of  all  his 
discoveries,  which  greatly  assisted  in  the  plan  for  the 
taking  of  the  fort  immediately  after. 

Mr.  Keep  afterward  feeling  it  unsafe  for  his  family 
to  remain  here  during  the  revolution,  movxid  back  to 
Salisbury,  Connecticut,  where,  until  the  close  of  the 
war,  he  was  employed  in  casting  cannon  for  the 
American  army.  After  he  came  to  this  town  he  im- 
mediately engaged  in  the  business  of  iron  making, 
and  superintended  the  erection  of  forges.  He  was 
Colonel  Sawyer's  first  bloomer.  It  is  said  that  while 
he  was  engaged  in  the  war  he  received  a  captain's 
commission.  He  died  in  Brandon,  in  the  year  1802, 
aged  seventy-one,  but  was  buried  by  the  side  of  other 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  343 

deceased  relatives  in  the  burjing-ground  of  District 
No.  1,  in  Middleburj. 

Asa  Blodgett  was  from  Litchfield  county,  Connec- 
ticut, and  settled  in  the  first  place  in  Middlebury,  on 
the  farm  owned  by  the  late  Ira  Stewart.  Sub- 
sequently, he  moved  to  Salisbury,  and  lived  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  F.  L.  Dyer.  This  was  at  quite 
an  early  day,  though  the  exact  date  is  not  known. 
Mr.  Blodgett  never  took  any  active  part  in  town 
matters,  but  was  satisfied  with  his  quiet  employments 
at  home.* 


*  If  all  the  truth  must  be  told  of  Mr.  Blodgett,  it  must  bo 
added,  that  he  was  a  very  profane  man  and  inclined  to  treat  all 
religious  exercises  with  contempt.  He  used  to  say  he  never 
prayed  {prayered,  as  he  expressed  it),  but  once,  and  that  was 
when  a  bear  caught  him.  The  circumstances  were  these : 
Jesse  Graves  being  greatly  annoyed  by  bears  crossing  the 
creek  to  his  corn-field,  undertook  to  stop  their  depredations  by 
setting  a  spring-gun  in  the  road  they  most  frequently  passed. 
The  gun  had  not  been  set  many  days  before  it  was  discharged 
by  a  very  large  bear  as  she  was  entering  the  field.  The  ball 
only  wounded  the  animal,  which  turned  back  the  way  she  came, 
and,  having  crossed  the  creek,  crept  under  a  log  on  the  western 
bank  and  lay  down  to  rest. 

Meantime  Blodgett,  having  heard  the  report  of  the  gun,  has- 
tened to  the  spot,  and  finding  marks  of  blood  on  the  ground 
and  bushes  followed  on  and  crossed  the  creek,  making  pursuit 
in  such  haste,  that  as  he  jumped  over  the  log  under  which  the 
28* 


344:  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

Levi  Briggs  was  from  Middleborough,  Massachu- 
setts, and  settled  here  in  1819.  He  brought  up  his 
children  in  usefulness,  one  of  whom  has  already  been 
noticed.  His  second  son,  Levi,  was  constable  and 
deputy-sheriff  many  years;  and  the  third,  Sumner, 
has  filled  many  town  offices  with  credit,  among  which 
is  that  of  town  representai;ive  and  trustee  of  the  pub- 
lic money. 

Stephen  Hard  was  one  of  the  first  settlei's,  both  in 
point  of  time  and  influence,  but  the  exact  time  of  his 
moving  here  is  not  known.  He  represented  the  town 
in  the  legislature  of  the  state  in  1788,  and  was  one  of  its 
first  selectmen.  He  was  also  town  clerk  and  constable, 
and  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  about 
twenty  years.     He  was  twice  married  and  had  about 


bear  lay,  he  came  down  directly  upon  her.  She,  already  in- 
furiated by  the  wound  she  had  received,  seized  her  pursuer  by 
one  of  his  legs  and  held  him  fast.  Blodgett  having  no  means 
of  self-defence,  stooped  down  to  liberate  his  leg  from  its  un- 
pleasant fastening,  when  the  infuriated  bear  seized  upon  his 
arm  near  the  shoulder  with  her  teeth,  holding  him  in  a  stoop- 
ing posture,  while  with  her  hind  feet  she  commenced  tearing 
away  the  seat  of  his  trowsers,  at  the  same  time  inflicting  sun- 
dry wounds  in  those  quarters.  It  was  at  this  stage  of  the 
affair  that  Blodgett  was  said  to  have  prayed.  About  this  time 
his  dog  also  arrived,  which  so  diverted  the  attention  of  the 
bear,  that  Blodgett  escaped,  and  went  home  to  bind  up  his 
wounds.  During  thi.«  conflict  he  also  received  a  wound  in  the 
face,  the  scar  of  which  he  carried  to  the  end  of  his  life. 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  346 

twenty  children,  most  if  not  all  of  whom  lived  to  the 
age  of  maturity.  He  finally  left  town  about  the  year 
1811  or  1812.  His  descendants  are  very  numerous, 
but  have  all  moved  from  town. 

Meagre  as  the  foregoing  sketches  are,  the  writer  yet 
remembers  the  names  of  at  least  a  hundred  individuals, 
all  heads  of  families  and  most  of  them  early  settlers, 
of  whom  he  can  give  little  or  no  account ;  and  many 
of  them  perhaps  equally  as  worthy  of  notice  as  some 
of  the  preceding.  Among  them  was  James  Bradley, 
who  first  held  the  office  of  town  treasurer,  in  which 
he  continued  as  long  as  he  remained  in  town,  and 
Eliphaz  Perkins,  a  man  of  great  worth,  both  as  a 
physician  and  citizen.  There  were  also  families  of 
whom  no  mention  has  been  made,  bearing  the  name 
of  Chipman,  Reynolds,  Johnson,  Huntley,  Buel,  Suth- 
erland, Richardson,  Sherman,  Phelps,  Rossiter,  Hors- 
ley.  Church,  Case,  Chamberlain,  "VVells,  Baker,  Hil- 
dreth,  Ellsworth,  Sterling,  Fuller,  Merifield,  Lyon, 
Hawes,  Stephens,  Bailey,  Taylor,  Alden,  Race,  Beebe, 
Golden,  Polmatiei-,  Codman,  Jiarkin,  Lakin,  Skeele, 
Chafee,  Kilburn,  Sprague,  McDonald,  McCombie, 
Austin,  Goodenough,  Porter,  French,  Pattison,  Lang- 
ly,  Cheney,  Fitch,  Linsly,  Toby  and  many  others. 

Many  ^f  these  died  during  their  residence  here, 
while  others  left  town.  The  preceding  tables  show 
some  of  the  acts  of  a  few  of  them,  while  the  history 
of  most  must  ever  remain  unwritten. 


346  HISTORY   OF    SALISBUBY. 


COIN'CLUSIOK 

Among  the  suggestions  arising  from  a  review  of  the 
foregoing  pages,  not  the  least  are  those  which  relate 
to  tlie  character  of  the  settlers.  The  institutions  which 
they  established,  the  habits  they  cherished,  and  the 
works  they  performed,  tell  what  they  were  and  for 
what  they  lived.  Being  in  the  greater  part  emigrants 
from  Connecticut,  and  of  Puritan  descent,  they  brought 
v/ith  them  that  vigilant  care  for  the  morals  of  their 
people  which  had  characterized  their  ancestors.  And 
although  the  conduct  of  those  from  whom  they  derived 
their  religious  opinions  had  been  somewhat  marked  by 
intolerance,  yet  when  they  arrived  among  the  wilds 
of  a  new  country,  where  the  closer  bonds  of  commun- 
ity were  greatly  needed,  a  liberal  feeling  of  general 
brotherhood  sprang  up,  leaving  the  restraints  and 
prejudices  of  religious  differences  far  in  the  dis- 
tance. It  mattered  not  so  much  who  their  teacher 
might  be,  if  he  but  taught  the  plain,  practical  lessons 
which  their  circumstances  seemed  to  demand.  ■. 

They  understood  well  that  the  secret  by  which  New 
England  had  been  made  prosperous  and  free,  was  in 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBURY.  347 

an  early  attention  to  the  instructions,  both  civil  and 
religious,  of  the  people  and  youth,  and  that  to  perpet- 
uate these  blessings  to  later  days,  they  must  establish 
churches  and  schools.  Hence  the  establishment  of  a 
church  and  school  was  among  the  first  of  their  works. 
Weak  and  imperfect  as  these  were,  and  strangely  as 
the  meagreness  of  the  advantages  they  afforded,  con- 
trast with  the  more  generous  gifts  and  privileges  of 
later  years,  there  is  in  them  a  native  intelligence,  and 
order  and  solidity  which  all  must  admire. 

Whatever  the  settlers  established,  seemed  to  re- 
ceive the  impress  of  their  own  character ;  all  their 
works  suggest  the  idea  of  permanence,  sobriety,  and 
hard  reality.  And  in  giving  form  and  fashion  to 
their  works,  the  women  performed  no  inferior  part, 
by  their  example  and  teaching,  by  their  industry, 
economy,  and  virtue,  they  manifested  that  same  seri- 
ous determination  and  steadfastness  of  purpose.  They 
were  satisfied  with  a  poor  and  humble  home,  and  re- 
joiced in  the  labor  of  their  own  hands,  if  it  but  con- 
tributed to  the  comfort  and  prosperity  of  their  fami- 
lies. They  had  rational  and  adequate  ideas  of  the 
duties  devolving  upon  them,  as  daughters  and  wives. 
They  did  not  look  upon  marriage  as  a  thing  of  social 
speculation,  and  dependent  for  its  joys  upon  the  ad- 
ventitious surroundings  of  the  person  whom  they  hap- 
pened to  marry,  but  believed  it  their  duty  to  be  to 


348  HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY. 

their  husbands,  really  and  truly  helpmates,  to  enter 
with  him  into  the  battle  of  life,  to  temper  its  asperi- 
ties and  "  gild  its  darkness,  if  dark  it  must  be,  by  the 
light  of  their  patience  and  the  constancy  of  their  de- 
votion." The  spirit  of  such  examples  may  well  be 
imitated  in  all  ages  and  in  all  places. 

Society  then  had  no  cliques  or  exclusive  circles,  to 
engender  prejudice  and  ill  will;  all  met  on  a  com- 
mon level.  In  a  semi-circle,  before  the  immense  fire- 
place, heaped  with  glowing  logs,  sat  the  old  and 
young,  and  often  the  stranger  and  the  friend,  the 
host  and  the  guest.  There,  with  thoughts  reaching 
back  to  the  homes  and  hearts  they  had  left,  "  looking 
each  at  each,"  they  were  strengthened  and  encour- 
aged by  a  mutual  sympathy.  There,  before  their 
glowing  hearths,  they  spent  many  of  their  long  win- 
ter evenings,  teaching  their  children  the  ways  of  use- 
fulness and  right,  or  cheerily  laying  plans  for  the 
future. 

Always  industrious,  both  by  necessity  and  habit, 
they  imparted  to  the  community  a  character  of  stern 
ability  to  meet  difficulty,  which  no  other  circumstan- 
ces could  have  produced,  and  by  a  studied  economy, 
laid  tlie  foundation  of  general  prosperity  and  wealth. 
In  their  labors  was  the  beginning  of  all  our  present 
possessions;  they  cleared  the  forests;  they  opened 
the  path  for  us ;  "  they  fought  the  battles."     By  an 


HISTOEY   OF   SALISBUKY.  349 

impulse  derived  from  them,  we  still  move  on,  as  an 
arrow  moves,  onward  and  upward,  even  after  the 
bow  which  gave  it  force  and  direction,  is  broken  and 
laid  in  the  dust. 

Pleasant  as  it  is  to  contemplate  them  in  their  rus- 
tic simplicity  and  enjoyment,  we  can  but  congratu- 
late ourselves  that  our  circumstances  are  not  like 
theirs.  To  wish  ourselves  back  in  the  good  old  times 
of  our  fathers,  is  unenterprising  and  subversive  of 
that  element  of  progress  for  which  they  so  earnestly 
strived.  It  would  be  a  wild  and  fanatical  choice,  to 
exchange  the  power  of  steam  and  improved  machi- 
nery, and  railroads,  and  the  higher  intellectual  and 
social  culture  of  our  times,  for  the  narrow  conveni- 
ences and  limited  advantages  of  early  days.  But  we 
can  study  the  example  of  our  fathers  with  profit,  and 
while  admiring  their  perseverance  and  steady,  sober 
enthusiasm,  imitate  whatever  of  good  we  may  find  in 
them,  either  of  character  or  thought,  or  high  aspira- 
tion. 

"With  impressions  and  associations  like  these,  and 
with  feelings  of  the  tenderest  regard  for  the  earth  con- 
secrated by  the  ashes  of  our  parents,  we  have  under- 
taken, and  so  far  completed  a  history  of  Salisbury. 
To  some,  without  doubt,  it  will  seem  that  we  have 
raised  certain  topics  to  a  prominence  poorly  in  keep- 
ing with  the  brevity  observed  in  other  places,  on  sub- 


850  HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY. 

jects  of  equal  importance.  To  these  it  can  only  be 
answered,  that  every  person  has  his  own  idea  of  the 
important  and  interesting  features  of  a  history,  and 
that,  in  many  instances,  brevity  has  been  compelled 
from  a  want  of  facts,  which,  though  diligently  sought, 
could  not  be  found.  We  have  endeavored  to  give  an 
impartial  and  correct  account  of  the  leading  facts  of 
the  town,  from  the  time  of  its  first  settlement.  It  is 
true  that  the  notices  of  many  men,  for  want  of  mate- 
rial, are  exceedingly  meagre  and  inadequate,  while 
others  of  no  little  usefulness  and  influence  have  been 
passed  over  in  silence.  But  a  great  part  of  the  histo- 
ry of  any  town  or  nation,  is  its  unrecorded  part;  only 
its  leading  facts  are  written;  indeed,  many  a  good 
man's  unvaried  life,  affords  less  points  on  which  a 
biographer  can  touch,  than  that  of  another  of  far  less 
merit,  but  which  has  been  full  of  events.  And  now, 
80  far  from  having  any  written  history,  many  a  man 
of  unpretending  worth  sleeps  within  the  bosom  of 
Salisbury,  without  even  a  monument  to  mark  his 
resting  place. 

To  those,  if  there  are  any  such,  who  are  disposed  to 
cavil  at  the  minuteness  of  particulars  in  the  foregoing 
pages,  no  better  answer  can  be  offered,  than  that  of  a 
distinguished  annalist: — "If  any  tax  me  for  wasting 
paper  with  recording  these  small  matters,  such  may 
consider  that  small  commonwealths  bring  forth  mat- 


mSTOKY    OF    SALISBURY.  351 

ters  of  small  moment ;  the  reading  whereof,  yet,  is  not 
to  be  despised  by  the  judicious,  because  small  things, 
in  the  beginning  of  natural  or  politic  bodies,  are  as 
remarkable  as  greater,  in  bodies  full  grown." 

29 


352  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 


MEMOIK  OF  JOHN  M.  WEEKS. 

John  M.  Weeks,  son  of  Holland  Weeks,  was  bom 
in  Litchfield,  Connecticut,  May  22d,  1788,  and  came 
with  the  rest  of  his  father's  family  to  Salisbury,  when 
a  little  more  than  a  year  old.  Being  the  youngest  of 
a  family  of  ten  children,  placed  in  the  wilds  of  a  new 
country  where  the  most  rigid  economy  and  perseve- 
ring labor  were  necessary  to  a  livelihood,  he  was 
early  accustomed  to  all  the  privations  of  the  settler's 
life,  and  was  taught  lessons  of  self-denial  which  he 
applied  with  great  profit  in  later  years. 

The  years  of  his  minority  were  spent  in  assisting 
his  father  in  clearing  and  cultivating  the  farm,  and 
in  such  other  labors  as  belonged  to  the  more  rude  ag- 
riculture of  that  period.  During  this  time  he  formed 
a  decided  proneness  for  study  and  literar}^  pursuits, 
and  greatly  wished  for  the  advantages  of  a  classical 
education  ;  but  in  this,  he  was  denied,  for  the  want  of 
pecuniary  assistance — his  father  being  a  man  of  lim- 
ited means,  and  having  already  sent  two  of  his  sons 
to  college.     But,  notwithstanding  the  circumstances 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  353 

which  opposed  his  wishes,  he  obtained  as  good  an  ed- 
ucation as  the  lower  schools  of  his  boyhood  days 
wonld  aiFord,  and  studied  some  of  the  classics,  under 
private  instruction  from  his  brothers.  At  this  time 
he  commenced  the  practice  of  private  study,  which 
60  much .  characterized  all  his  subsequent  life.  De- 
ploring the  scantiness  of  the  time  allowed  him  for 
his  favorite  pursuits,  he  felt  the  necessity  of  using  to 
the  best  advantage  what  was  granted  to  him,  and 
early  adopted  the  sentiment  of  Seneca  as  a  motto — 
"  That  it  is  a  virtue  to  be  covetous  of  time ;"  and  the 
principle  of  his  motto  he  carried  into  all  the  works  of 
his  life,  of  whatever  kind  he  undertook,  and  enjoined 
it  upon  all  over  whom  he  had  any  influence. 
•'''^At  his  father's  death  he  bought  out  the  several  in- 
terests of  his  brothers  and  sisters  in  the  old  home- 
stead, and  entered  in  his  own  right  and  responsibility, 
upon  the  pursuits  of  the  agriculturist,  in  which  he 
continued,  as  his  principal  business,  until  his  death. 
In  making  so  extensive  a  purchase,  he  incurred  a  very 
heavy  debt,  which  hung  like  an  incubus  over  liim  du- 
ring quite  a  large  portion  of  his  life.  In  an  excess  of 
anxiety  to  relieve  himself  of  this  debt,  soon  after  it 
was  incurred,  he  seriously  undermined  his  constitu- 
tion, in- too  severe  and  protracted  labors,  and  suffered 
all  his  life  from  the  frailties  caused  by  them.  He 
never  was  able  to  enter,  in  person,  into  the  more  ar- 


354  HISTORY   OF   SALI8BUKT. 

duous  labors  of  the  farm ;  but,  by  an  orderly  plan  and 
distribution  of  his  work,  and  by  a  careful  oversight  of 
his  men,  he  accomplished  none  the  less. 

On  the  19th  of  February,  1818,  he  was  married  to 
Harriet  Prindle,  of  Charlotte,  Yermont,  by  whom  he 
had  five  children — two  daughters  and  three  sons — of 
the  latter  of  whom,  the  oldest,  Charles  II.,  died  !N"o- 
vember  Yth,  1854. 

Kemembering  the  disappointments  in  his  early  en- 
deavors for  his  own  intellectual  culture,  he  spared  no 
pains  in  aifording  his  children  such  means  of  improve- 
ment as  lay  within  his  reach.  He  rendered  their 
home  attractive  to  them  by  an  abundance  of  books 
of  all  kinds,  serious,  scientific  and  amusing,  together 
with  many  of  the  best  periodicals  of  the  day.  He 
undertook  to  render  the  family  circle  a  pleasant  and 
sacred  place,  and  for  this  purpose  cherished  the  re- 
fining influences  of  music  and "  some  of  the  kindred 
arts,  in  a  limited  way,  and  added  the  sanctities  of  daily 
Christian  worship.  Although  an  advocate  of  the 
strictest  family  discipline,  he  discarded  the  obsolescent 
principle  of  his  ancestors,  that  children  should  have 
almost  no  sports  at  all,  and  that  a  grave  countenance 
alone  was  consistent  with  religion.  Fond  of  good 
humor  and  fun  at  times,  himself,  he  took  no  offence 
at  it  in  others. 

He  always  cultivated  habits  of  close  observation. 


HISTORY   OF   SALISBUBT.  355 

and  took  pleasure  in  philosophizing  on  what  he  saw. 
From  a  long  and  critical  observation  of  the  nature 
and  habits  of  the  honey-bee  he  was  led  to  the  inven- 
tion of  the  "  Yermont  Bee-hive,"  which  was  patented 
1836.  This  w^as  the  first  improvement  on  the  old- 
fashioned  hive  (in  which  the  honey  was  obtained  at 
the  sacrifice  of  the  bees),  and  was  rapidly  introduced 
into  most  parts  of  the  United  States.  It  was  exhibited 
at  the  American  Institute,  in  [N'ew  York  in  1839,  and 
received  the  award  of  a  silver  medal  from  that  insti- 
tution. It  was  successfully  and  almost  exclusively 
used  everywhere,  until  other  inventors  sought  the 
same  field  with  other  hives,  which,  though  of  very 
similar  principle,  were  sufficiently  novel  to  claim  a 
patent  of  their  own.  But  even  now,  after  all  the 
changes  in  bee-hives,  and  the  great  number  of  them 
in  use,  the  old  Yermont  hive  meets  the  eye  of  the 
traveler  as  often  as  any  other.  The  same  year  this 
patent  w^as  granted,  Mr.  Weeks  published  a  small 
treatise  on  the  instincts  and  habits  of  the  honey-bee. 
This  book  he  subsequently  revised  and  enlarged  in 
several  succeeding  editions,  nntil  more  than  twenty 
thousand  copies  were  sold  without  satisfying  the  pub- 
lic demand.  It  is  believed  that  this  treatise  has  been 
of  great  service  to  the  apiarian  ;  indeed  its  utility  has 
been  well  proved  in  its  rapid  sale,  and  in  the  fact, 
that  when  the  author's  own  last  edition  was  exhausted, 

29* 


356  HISTOKY   OF    SALISBURY. 

it  was  reprinted  both  in  the  United  States  and  in 
England. 

Again,  in  1841,  he  secured  letters  patent  on  eight 
different  classes  of  hives,  embracing,  in  addition  to  the 
principles  of  the  old  patent,  many  new  ones,  among 
which  were  those  of  the  canal  bottom-board,  the  col- 
lateral boxes,  and  the  subtended  hive.  These  hives 
never  received  so  extensive  a  patronage  as  the  former, 
but  were  used  with  success  and  profit  bj  their  in- 
ventor as  long  as  he  lived.  They  were  in  some 
respects  better  adapted  to  the  uses  of  the  amateur  in 
the  apiary  than  to  the  hurried  and  imperfect  care  or- 
dinarily observed  among  our  people  in  the  manage- 
ment of  bees.  These  patents  never  resulted  in  any 
very  great  profit  to  their  owner ;  on  the  contrary, 
they  were  a  prolific  cause  of  vexation,  as  most  patent 
rights  are.  A  person  of  some  eminence  has  said  with 
much  truth,  "  A  patentee  in  the  United  States  is  re- 
warded with  strifes  and  lawsuits,  that  is  all."  But 
Mr.  Weeks  in  most  instances  preferred  to  suffer  an  in- 
fringement of  his  right,  and  submit  to  many  othec 
sacrifices  in  his  business,  rather  than  undertake  the 
vexations  and  nncertainties  of  legal  proceedings  ;  and 
he  always  felt  that  he  had  received  a  sufhcient  reward 
in  the  conscionsness  of  his  services  to  the  community 
in  this  matter,  and  in  the  recreation  afforded  liis  leis- 
ure hours  in  observation  and  experiment  in  his 
apiary. 


HISTOKY    OF    SALISBUKY.  357 

Of  his  religious  education  and  habits  much  might 
be  said  of  interest  and  of  profit.  Surrounded  as  he 
was,  during  all  his  early  years,  by  teacliers  of  Puritan 
descent,  he  was  early  imbued  with  the  principles  pe- 
culiar to  their  order,  and,  as  the  foregoing  pages  of 
this  book  show,  took  an  unusual  interest  in  all  the 
early  religions  movements  in  town.  But,  believing 
that  stated  rites  and  services  had  an  influence  in  per- 
petuating Christianity,  which  the  teaching  of  abstract 
truths  alone  could  not  equal,  and  wishing  to  hold  and 
commit  to  his  descendants  a  rule  of  faith  less  [liable 
to  change,  he  was  baptized  and  confirmed  in  the 
Episcopal  Church  at  Middlebury,  in  1833,  and  lived 
in  its  communion  all  the  remaining  years  of  his  life. 
In  addition  to  the  goodly  example  of  his  daily  walk 
and  conversation,  the  record  of  his  own  private  jour- 
nals shows,  that  at  no  time  was  he  unmindful  of  the 
high  and  important  duties  imposed  upon  him  by  his 
Christian  profession;  short,  ejaculatory  prayers,  ex- 
pressions of  thankfulness,  and  renewed  resolutions  of 
perseverance  in  following  the  example  and  precepts 
of  his  Blessed  Master,  are  beautiful  and  significant 
tokens  of  his  Christian  character. 

But  although  he  repudiated  the  form  and  doctrine 
of  the. Puritan  Church,  he  was  a  great  admirer  of 
those  characteristics  of  his  ancestry,  which,  in  so  res- 
olute and  single  a  manner,  led  to  the  establishment 


358  HISTOEY   OF    SALIbBUET. 

of  those  institutions,  and  to  the  acquirement  of  those 
traits  and  habits  which  have  given  New  England  so 
much  intelligence  and  strength.  lie  was  fond  of  an- 
tiquities, and  took  great  pains  to  collect  the  genea- 
logical facts  of  his  own  family.  He  always  took  a 
great  interest  in  the  celebrations  in  commemoration 
of  the  first  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  upon  the  New 
England  shore,  and  participated  with  pleasure  in  the 
festivities  of  the  Middlebury  Historical  Society  in 
honor  of  that  anniversary.  In  fact,  it  was  at  the  sug- 
gestion and  request  of  that  society  that  he  undertook 
the  work  of  the  foregoing  pages. 

Having  been  a  resident  of  Salisbury  fi-om  his  in- 
fancy, and  thus  made  personally  acquainted  with 
most  of  the  early  settlers,  and  having  an  unusual  in- 
clination to  historical  research,  both  general  and  local, 
he  was  peculiarly  fitted  to  gather  together  the  long- 
forgotten  facts  of  early  years  and  "  write  them  for  a 
memorial  in  a  book."  The  histor}^  he  prepared  is 
by  no  means  perfect,  and  will  be  of  only  local  inter- 
est or  use ;  but,  embracing  as  it  does,  all  the  leading 
facts  of  tiie  town,  it  is  not  very  incomplete,  and  taken 
all  together,  rescues  from  oblivion  a  vast  number  of 
interesting  facts,  which,  lying  only  in  the  memory, 
would  in  a  short  time  have  been  utterly  lost.  With- 
out attempting  any  great  literary  merit  he  succeeded 
in  all  particulars  in  accomplishing  what  he  undertook, 


HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY.  359 

-svliich  was  simply  to  preserve  to  posterity  the  leading- 
facts  and  prominent  cliaracteristics  attending  the 
early  settlement  of  the  town. 

In  his  occupation  as  farmer  he  acted  on  the  plan  of 
experiment  and  science.  Gladly  profiting  by  the  ex- 
periences of  others,  he  was  fond  of  investigating  for 
himself,  and  even  to  the  end  of  his  life  was  experi- 
menting in  new  adaptations  of  soil  and  seed,  in  seek- 
ing new  sources  of  fertilization,  and  extending  his 
inquiries  into  all  the  progressive  features  of  agricul- 
ture. He  entered  heartily  into  the  spirit  of  all  move- 
ments calculated  to  promote  improvement  in  stock 
and  all  the  various  products  of  the  farm.  He  took  an 
early  and  useful  part  in  establishing  the  Addison 
County  Agricultural  Society,  and  for  many  years 
made  quite  extensive  contributions  to  its  annual  ex- 
hibitions. He  earnestly  strove,  so  far  as  he  was  able, 
to  make  agriculture  a  progressive  and  intelligent  work, 
and  for  this  purpose  took  pains  to  make  known  to 
others  whatever  he  had  learned  by  his  own  observa- 
tion and  experiment.  For  many  years  he  was  a  con- 
tributor to  the  best  agricultural  papers  in  New 
England.  After  an  experience  of  many  years  in  the 
dairy  he  gave  the  results  of  his  observations  to  the 
press  in  occasional  letters,  which  were  extensively 
copied  in  the  agricultural  papers  throughout  the 
United   States.      His    articles    on   field-crops,   bees, 


360  HISTORY    OF    6ALISBUKT. 

and    other  kindred    topics   have   met   with   genemj 
favor. 

He  was  often  called  to  fill  important  offices  of  trust, 
to  which  he  was  well  adapted  by  temperament,  judg- 
ment, and  honesty.  Commencing  with  the  execut-' 
orial  ofiice  in  the  settlement  of  his  father's  estate,  in 
the  course  of  his  life  he  was  officially  interested  in  the 
settlement  of  more  than  sixty  diff'erent  estates,  in  a 
large  part  of  which  he  acted  as  executor  or  adminis- 
trator. He  also  stood  in  fiduciary  capacities  in 
many  other  instances,  as  guardian  or  trustee,  many  of 
which  offices  he  held  to  his  own  pecuniary  disadvan- 
tage and  sacrifice. 

In  town  matters  he  always  took  a  lively  interest, 
and  yet  never  was  the  recipient  of  the  highest  offices 
in  its  gift.  His  usefulness  in  town  was  felt  more  in 
the  quiet  office  of  counselor,  than  in  those  more  com- 
monly sought  by  the  ambitious.  And  yet  he  filled 
many  important  offices,  for  many  years  in  succession. 
He  took  more  than  an  ordinary  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  the  town  in  which  he  lived,  as  may  be  seen  in  the 
faithfulness  with  which  he  performed  the  duties  im- 
posed upon  him  by  it,  from  time  to  time,  and  in  the 
motive  which  suggested  the  labor  of  the  foregoing 
pages.  Indeed,  the  words  of  his  own  preface  tell 
well  and  truly  the  spirit  which  dictated  the  work, 
"  Wishing  to  the  inhabitants  of  Salisbury  that  pros- 


HISTORY   OF    SALISBURY.  361 

peritj  and  happiness  which  results  from  a  cultivated 
mind,  industrious  habits,  refined  manners,  pure  mor- 
als, and  religious  principles." 

In  the  autumn  of  1853,  while  on  a  visit  to  iS'ew 
York,  he  was  suddenly  called  home  by  tlie  ilhiess  of 
his  wife,  who,  after  a  month  of  severe  suffering,  died 
on  the  24th  day  of  October,  of  that  year.  Suddenly 
deprived  of  the  society  and  sympathy  of  one  who  had 
so  long  faithfully  served  at  the  domestic  hearth,  and 
given  life  and  joy  to  thefamily  circle,  he  sought  to 
beguile  the  time  of  its  weariness  by  a  more  close  ap- 
plication of  his  thoughts  in  reading  and  study.  Du- 
ring the  following  winter,  he  became  greatly  inter- 
ested in  the  history  of  the  "  Five  Indian  Nations  ;" 
and  after  a  very  extensive  and  painstaking  research 
among  the  doings  of  those  savages,  he  wrote  a  history 
of  them,  together  with  an  examination  of  the  claims 
against  the  state  of  Vermont,  by  the  Seven  l^ations  of 
Canada  calling  themselves  Iroquois.  This  history  is 
yet  in  manuscript ;  but  for  interest  of  adventure,  an- 
ecdote, and  general  historical  detail,  is  well  WTjrthy  of 
publication,  and  v^iould  undoubtedly  elicit  a  more  gen- 
eral interest  than  any  other  production  of  its  author. 

Again,  in  the  fall  of  1854,  he  was  afflicted  in  the 
death  o'f  another  member  of  his  family,  which,  in  con- 
nection with  the  almost  constant  absence  of  his  other 
children  from  home,  rendered  his  situation  exceed- 


362  HISTORY    OF    SALISBURY. 

ingly  lonely,  and  ill  adapted  to  one  of  liis  advanced 
years.  This  induced  him  to  contemplate  a  second 
marriage ;  and  finally,  on  the  6th  day  of  January, 
1856,  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Emily  Davenport,  of 
Middlebnry,  Yermont,  who  did  much  to  give  comfort 
and  happiness  to  his  few  remaining  years.  At  last, 
in  the  latter  part  of  August,  1858,  after  having  passed 
the  previous  summer  in  unusual  good  health  and  activ^- 
ity,  he  was  suddenly  prostrated  by  a  disease  to  which 
he  had  long  been  subject,  and  after  a  short  illness  of 
one  week — early  in  the  morning  of  the  first  day  of 
September — was  gathered  to  his  fathers. 

The  time  and  circumstances  of  his  death  were  beau- 
tifully in  keeping  with  his  character  and  age. 

"  Nothing  in  his  life 
Became  him  like  the  leaving  it." 

It  was  at  the  close  of  a  pleasant  summer ;  the  labors 
of  the  yearly  harvest  were  done ;  the  ripened  grain 
was  gathered  to  the  garner ;  and  lie,  after  a  goodly 
life  of  three-score  years  and  ten,  before  the  dawn  of 
the  autumnal  day,  bade  adieu  to  tbe  summer  and  the 
the  earth,  and  went  to  his  everlasting  rest. 


THE   END. 


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WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
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NOV    22  I:. 

.  .  9]un'60Ge 

Rc:.C'D   !_U 

.IIJN  5    1960 

MAY  1  fi  1968  3 1 

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THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


